Shantishree Dhulipudi Pandit is an Indian professor who became the first woman Vice-Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, on 7 February 2022.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Shantishree Dhulipudi Pandit was born on Sunday, 15 July 1962 (age 59 years; as of 2021) in Saint Petersburg, Russia (formerly Leningrad, USSR). After matriculation in 1978, he received his higher secondary education at PN Dhawan Adarsh Vidyalaya Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Madras (now Chennai), Tamil Nadu. She earned the title of Best All-Round Student (1978–1980). After passing the twelfth class with distinction in 1980, she obtained a Diploma in Social Work from a summer school at California State University, Long Beach, USA. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Social Psychology from Presidency College, Madras in 1983; He was awarded three gold medals and two prizes for securing first rank in BA. He won many awards in debate, quiz and elocution competitions at regional, national and international levels during his school and college days. In 1985, he obtained a Master of Arts in Political Science from Presidency College; He secured second rank in the university. He received a fellowship from the University Grants Commission to conduct research from 1985 to 1988. In 1986, he qualified UGC-NET/JRF/SRF. Subsequently, he obtained a pre-doctoral degree, M.Phil., in International Relations from the Indian School of International Studies (now School of International Studies), JNU, New Delhi in 1986. A topper with A grades, he secured first rank in his pre-doctoral degree with 83.4%. For his doctoral degree, PhD in International Relations, at the Indian School of International Studies, JNU, he wrote the thesis “Parliament and Foreign Policy in India – The Nehru Years”. In 1996, he received a postdoctoral diploma in peace and conflict studies from Uppsala University, Sweden.
Family
parents and siblings
His father, Dr. Dhulipudi Anjaneyulu, was a retired civil servant, author and journalist. His mother, Mulamudi Adilakshmi, worked as a professor of Tamil and Telugu at the Leningrad Oriental Faculty Department (USSR).
husband and children
Her husband, Niranjan B. Pandit, is a senior SAP consultant. Together, they also have a daughter.
livelihood
Shantishree Dhulipudi Pandit started her teaching career in 1988 when she started working as a lecturer in the Department of Political Science at Goa University. In 1992, she became a senior lecturer in Politics and Public Administration at the University of Pune. On 7 February 2022, Shantishree Dhulipudi Pandit was appointed as the thirteenth Vice-Chancellor of JNU, succeeding M Jagesh Kumar, for a term of five years, after President Ram Nath Kovind approved his appointment. After the end of M Jagadesh Kumar’s five-year tenure as VC in the year 2021, he became the Chairman of the higher education regulator UGC (University Grants Commission). The prominence behind Shantisree’s appointment as VC is that she became the first woman to be appointed Vice Chancellor of the prestigious university. Before becoming VC of JNU, Shantishree Dhulipudi Pandit served as Professor at Savitribai Phule Pune University in the Department of Politics and Public Administration. She has been an external examiner for M.Phil dissertations and PhD theses in various reputed Indian colleges and universities. As of 2021, twenty-three students have submitted their PhD theses under his supervision, in addition to eight M.Phil dissertations. Apart from writing books, Pandit has also published more than 170 research papers and articles in several reputed journals on political science and foreign policy.
Teaching and Research Experience
- Served as a member of the Consultative Committee in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (1985–1990)
- Member of the Board of Studies, Political Science, Goa University (2006-2009)
- Member of Global India Foundation (2005-2011)
- Governing Council Member, Center for Inquiry, Hyderabad (2006)
- Member of the UGC Committee on Higher Education and Indicator-XI Scheme (2006-2008)
- Member of the National Social Science Forum (2008-2010)
- Member of the Executive Committee of the Radical Humanist Association (2009–2012)
- Member of the Executive Committee of the Indian Association for American Studies (IAAS) (2010-2013)
- Member of the Board of Studies, Political Science-UG & PG at Osmania University (2011-2014)
- Member of Academic Council, Rakshashakti University, Gujarat, (2014)
- Member of the Board of Studies and Research, University of Madras (2014-2017)
- Member of the Board of Studies, Political Science, Goa University (2015-2017)
books written
- Parliament and Foreign Policy in India (1990)
- Ethnicity and Nationalism in the Pursuit of Nation-Building, Yerevan: Armenia University Press (1996)
- Globalization, Security Technology and Conflict in South Asia, Colombo, RCSS (2000)
- Environmental Governance in Asia-Ethics and Policy (2003)
controversies
- Shantishree Dhulipudi Pandit, known for her closeness to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), courted controversy on 29 January 2020 by tweeting against Muslim students in JNU. In the tweet, she recalled her days as a university student and targeted bearded men and girls wearing hijab, calling them Jihadis i.e. Islamic terrorists.
Shantishree Dhulipudi Pandit’s tweet targeting Muslim students in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)
Shantisree Dhulipudi Pandit’s tweet, posted on January 29, 2020, targeted Muslim students at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).
- In March 2020, he expressed his hatred towards Muslims through a tweet in which he cited a study that indicated a link between Covid-19 infection and testicular damage and infertility in men.
Shantishree Dhulipudi Pandit’s tweet refers to a study that indicates a link between COVID-19 infection and testicular damage and infertility in Muslims.
- In December 2020, when the Sikh community stood in solidarity with Muslims while offering namaz during the 2020–21 Indian farmers’ protests, Pandit took to his Twitter handle to label the incident as a ‘Jihadi Khalistani alliance’. Expressed Hindutva right wing political views. ,
Shantishree Dhulipudi Pandit tweeted against Sikhs who were supporting Muslims offering namaz during the 2020-2021 Indian farmers’ protests
Awards, Honors, Achievements
- Cardosa Prize at Presidency College, Madras (1980–81).
- Elphinstone Award, 1980-81; 1981-82; 1982–83; 1983–84; 1984-85, Presidency College, Madras
- Scott Elocution Prize, 1980–81; 1981-82; 1982–83; 1983–84; 1984-85, Presidency College, Madras
- National Hindi Scholarship (1980-1983)
- National Merit Scholarship (1983-1985)
- Tamil Nadu State Government Scholarship (1985-1986)
- Fellowship, Uppsala University, Sweden (1996)
- Fellowship, Center for South Asian Studies, University of Wisconsin, Madison
- Fellowship, Salzberg Seminar, Austria (1998)
- Women Teacher Award 2003 at the Youth Forum for Gandhian Studies, Chennai
- Wisetex Award for Women Leaders in the Next Decade (2004) under the category of Education
- Veer Savarkar Award, Pune (2010)
Facts/General Knowledge
- He is fluent in six languages, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Hindi, Sanskrit and English. She can also understand Kananda, Malayalam and Konkani.
- He holds the record for winning the most number of Elphinstone Awards during his college days; She won the award for five consecutive years.
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn