After 2-Year Power Tug, HPU Finally Gets a VC—Prof Mahavir Singh Steps In Amid Heavy Lobbies and Delays
Shimla: After dragging its feet for over two years, Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) finally has a new regular Vice-Chancellor—Prof Mahavir Singh.
But his appointment comes only after a prolonged political tug-of-war between CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, who also happens to be the Chancellor of the varsity.
Sources say the delay wasn’t due to a lack of capable names but more about who gets to call the shots.
With the state government rooting for its favourites and the Raj Bhavan holding its ground on academic merit, the VC seat remained cold for months.
Many competent contenders saw their careers stuck in limbo.
Prof Mahavir Singh, a senior physicist at HPU and known globally for his work in magnetic nanomaterials, was finally chosen.
His research on eco-friendly materials for electric vehicles and communication systems has earned him a spot among the world’s top 2% scientists in his field, as per Stanford University rankings.
His appointment is being seen as a silver lining in a long-drawn episode of politicking.
Student groups had been raising their voice against the inordinate delay in appointment, with many accusing the government and Raj Bhavan of playing ping-pong with a key academic post.
While the Governor stood firm on transparency and norms, the state pushed for its own say—delaying the process endlessly.
Now, with a regular VC finally at the helm, the hope is that HPU can get back on track, minus the political speed bumps.
