Ratan Tata to head Mumbai University’s first advisory council
MUMBAI: Industrialist Ratan Tata was nominated as the chairman of Mumbai University’s first Advisory Council by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. The council is expected to advise the vice-chancellor in academic research and development, administration and governance. It will also monitor the working of the university and provide critical analysis from time to time. Eminent nuclear scientist Anil Kakodkar was also nominated on the council as a member.
This is the first time an advisory council has been set up in the university as per the provisions of the Maharashtra Public Universities’ Act of 2016. University laws in the state never had a provision for an advisory council in the past.
“Ratan Tata has been nominated as the chairman, as the Act has a provision to appoint an eminent industrialist who has proven experience in the changing scenario of opportunities for youth and global trends in education. As the head of Tata Group, Tata has navigated the companies to greater heights in India and globally while retaining the Tata ethos and values,” said a statement issued by the university. This will be of huge benefit to the longterm goal-setting of the university over the next three to five years, it added.
IAS officer Sujata Saunik, additional chief secretary to the state government, was also appointed. While vicechancellor Suhas Pednekar and pro-VC Ravindra Kulkarni will be ex-officio members on the council, an educationist and a social leader are yet to be nominated.
