Scientist Ajit Kumar Shasany assumes charge as Vice-Chancellor of Central University of Odisha

By Suryanarayan Panda

Koraput: Dr Ajit Kumar Shasany, former Director of the CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), assumed charge as the Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of Odisha (CUO) at Koraput on Thursday.

He took over from Prof N.C. Panda, Dean of Schools and Head of the Department of Sanskrit, who had been serving as the Acting Vice-Chancellor. The handing-over ceremony was attended by senior university officials, including Registrar-in-Charge Dr Sanjay Kumar Pradhan and Finance Officer Duryodhan Sethy.

Soon after assuming office, Dr Shasany interacted with faculty members, research scholars and students, outlining his vision to strengthen the university’s academic standards, research output and institutional development.

Dr Shasany was appointed Vice-Chancellor by the President of India for a five-year term through a notification issued on July 2, 2026. His appointment is expected to bolster the university’s research profile, given his long experience in scientific research, innovation and academic leadership.

A noted plant biotechnologist, Dr Shasany earlier served as Director of the CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow. He also headed the ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology, New Delhi, and was Chief Scientist in the Biotechnology Division of the CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), Lucknow. Over the course of his career, he has made significant contributions to plant biotechnology, medicinal and aromatic plant research, and the commercial application of plant-based technologies.

Established under the Central Universities Act, 2009, the Central University of Odisha is among the 15 Central Universities created by the Government of India during the Eleventh Five-Year Plan to expand access to quality higher education in educationally underserved regions. Located in Koraput, the university has steadily evolved into a key centre for higher education and research, catering largely to students from Odisha’s tribal-dominated districts and neighbouring states.

With Dr Shasany at the helm, the university is expected to focus on strengthening interdisciplinary research, expanding academic collaborations and enhancing its contribution to higher education in eastern India.

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Taking charge: Newly appointed Central University of Odisha Vice-Chancellor Dr Ajit Kumar Shasany (second from left, seated) assumes office on Friday in Koraput.