Dear friends,
I am pleased to announce, that Prof V N Rajasekharan Pillai has joined us as our Provost from the 24th January 2018.
He takes over from De. Rajen Welukar, who had to leave a few months ago for personal reasons.
Prof. V. N. Rajasekharan Pillai has been at the helm of affairs of many higher educational and scientific research establishments for the last 47 years of service as a teacher, professor, researcher, and executive head of Education, Science and Technology establishments in the country and abroad.
An Elected Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Prof. Rajasekharan Pillai is one among the top-cited Chemistry researchers in the country. He created an internationally renowned research group.
Top executive positions which he occupied include the :
Vice-Chairmanship and Chairmanship of the University Grants Commission, Government of India;
Executive Director of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), Government of India;
Vice-Chancellor of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU);
Chairman of the Distance Education Council, Government of India;
Vice-Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala;
Vice-Chancellor of Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kerala; Executive
Vice-President of the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology & Environment;
Ex-Of?cio Principal Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology of the Government of Kerala;
Chairman of the Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority, under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India;
Chairman of the Kerala Biotechnology Commission, Government of Kerala.
President of Mewar University, Chittorgarh, Rajasthan.
President of a New Delhi NCR-based Civil Society Organisation, Human Development Foundation India,
Director Board of Apollo Group of Hospitals and on the Boards of several academic institutions and research establishments in the country and abroad.
Prof Pillai will oversee the Academic and Administrative responsibilities of Somaiya Vidyavihar and Somaiya Ayurvihar. We do hope that under his leadership, we are able to create the world-class institution that our founders dreamed of, and worked towards.
Samir Somaiya
