Professor Syed Ehtesham Hasnain is set to be the next vice-chancellor of the Jawaharlal Nehru University. His name has been recommended by the Search Committee and sent to the President for approval.
“Prof. Ehtesham Hasnain’s name have been cleared by the Search Committee for the post of the vice-chancellor of the Jawaharlal Nehru University. His name has been sent to the Chancellor by the Search Committee. After approval, the human resource development ministry will soon declare his name officially,” a university official said.
Prof. Hasnain is the vice-chancellor of University of Hyderabad. He also served as a director of the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics. He made extraordinary contributions to molecular infection biology and epidemiology of TB causing bacteria.
He was the front-runner among the short-listed candidates, including JNU’s Prof. Rajendra Prasad from Centre for Life Sciences and JNU’s Prof. Zoya Hasan of Centre for Political Studies. He was in the race for Delhi University V-C’s post too. He also did research in an American university.
Prof. Hasnain’s name was doing the rounds in the university circles as the Search Committee, comprised of scientists, indicated that it intend to select a scientists for the post of the V-C. The search committee includes former chairman of Isro K. Kasturirangan, Prof. P. Balram from Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, and Dr Nitin Desai from Tata Energy Research Institute.