Who is Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit? All you need to know about JNU's first woman Vice-Chancellor

New Delhi: Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, who is currently the Vice Chancellor of Savitribai Phule University, has been appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University, according to Ministry of Education officials.

Pandit will be the first woman Vice Chancellor of JNU.

"Her appointment is for a period of five years," a senior Ministry of Education official said.

M Jagadesh Kumar, who was holding the charge of acting VC at JNU after his five year term ended last year, was last week appointed as the chairman of the University Grants Commission.

Who is Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit?

Born on 15 July 1962 in St.Petersberg, Russia [ formerly Leningrad, USSR], Pandit currently serves as the Vice Chancellor of Savitribai Phule University.

Her father, Dr. Dhulipudi Anjaneyulu is an author and journalist, who is also a retired civil servant, and mother, Prof. Mulamoodi Adilakshmi, was a Professor of Tamil and Telugu at the Leningrad Oriental Faculty Department [USSR].

Besides her excellent academic qualification, Pandit also has a great command over languages such as Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Hindi, Sanskrit, English and can understand Kananda, Malayalam and Konkani.

Academic Qualifications:

Pandit has a Doctorate – Ph.D. in International Relations – Thesis on “ PARLIAMENT AND FOREIGN POLICY IN INDIA – THE NEHRU YEARS, “ from Jawaharlal Nehru University, School of International Relations, New Delhi – 1990.

She received her Post- doctoral Diploma in Peace and Conflict studies from Uppsala University, Sweden in1996.

She is a Post Graduate in M .A. in Political Science (1985 – Presidency College, Madras, University second rank), her Pre Doctoral Degree is an M.Phil in International Relations – Papers and Dissertation (1986 – Jawaharlal Nehru University, School of International Relations, New Delhi)

Besides, she also has a Diploma in Social work – summer school, California State University, Longbeach, USA.

Degree – B.A. in History and Social Psychology – 1983 – Presidency College, Madras.

Awards and Achievements:

Pandit has won several academic awards at national and international awards. Some of her noteworthy achievements include:

Over 200 prizes at the state, national and international levels in debates, oratorical contests, dramatics, quiz competitions, etc. 

Best All around student, 1978-80, Adarsh Vidyalaya, Madras. 

Cardosa Prize, 1980-81, Presidency College, Madras. 

Elphinstone Prize, 1980-81; 1981-82; 1982-83; 1983-84; 1984-85, Presidency College, Madras. The record for winning it for the highest number times still exists in Pandit's name.

Scott Elocution Prize, 1980-81; 1981-82; 1982-83; 1983-84; 1984-85, Presidency College, Madras. 

Five prizes at the All India Inter-Universities Festival held in Allahabad in 1983. Declared the Best participant of the festival and led the Presidency College and the University of Madras win the team trophy. 

National Talent Scholarship

National Hindi Scholarship, 1980-83. 

Three gold medals and two prizes for standing first in B.A. 

National Merit Scholarship, 1983-85. 

Tamilnadu State Government Scholarship, 1985-86.

University Grants Commission, NET-JRF 1986-88. 

Summer School in Social Work, University of California, Longbeach.  Fellow, Uppsala University, Sweden, 1996. 

Fellow, Centre for South Asian Studies, University of Wisconsin, Madison.  Fellow, Salzburg Seminar, Austria, Nov. 1998. 

Expert- International Relations RCSS, Colombo. 

Member- University Senate 2001-2006, Director- International Centre, since April 2001-July2007.  Member-University Management Council [2001-2006]

Member of several University level committees. 

Resource Person- Asian and European Studies- Hunan University, PRC. 

Resource Person- Asian Studies-University of Murcia, Spain.

Foggia University,Italy 

Coordinator-University of Pune- European Union –Asialink program 2004-2007. 

Coordinator- Centre for Inquiry [India] Pune Chapter

Papers currently teaching to post graduate students :

The papers Pandit is currently teaching post graduate students are- Theory of International Relations, India’s Foreign Policy, International Organization, Major Thinkers in the West, World Politics: Trends and Issues, Peace and Conflict Studies, Globalization and the State, The Politics of International Economics, Human Rights and Global Governance, Global Security, Environment and Politics, Conflict and Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, South East Asia and World Politics, Global Transformations :Politics, Economics and Culture.

With Inputs from PTI

Published on: Monday, February 07, 2022, 01:18 PM IST