Srinagar, Dec 16: The J&K government on Thursday appointed Dr Nazir A Ganai as the new Vice Chancellor of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences & Technology (SKUAST) Kashmir. Dr Nazir A Ganai was working as the director planning and monitoring of SKUAST-K.
The appointment has been made by the Chancellor J&K University, Manoj Sinha in exercise of power vested in him under section 25(1) of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences & Technology Act, 1982.
“Dr Nazir A Ganai presently Director, Planning and Monitoring, SKUAST-Kashmir, Shalimar, Srinagar is hereby appointed as Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K for a period of three 03 years or until he attains the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier,” the order reads.
His appointment will come into effect from the date on which he takes over charge, on the terms and conditions to be notified separately.
As already reported by this newspaper, the appointment of the VC has been made more than a year after a search committee was constituted to draw a panel of candidates for the post of VC SKUAST-K.
The process was started afresh in June this after the previous committee was quashed by the government. The first search committee was constituted in July 2020. The government had invited applications from the eligible candidates as well.
After a passage of almost one year, the government reconstituted the search committee afresh in June this year which is headed by Dr Mangala Rai, former VC G.B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar Uttar Pradesh.
Other members include Director General Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Chairman, UGC or his nominee and Financial Commissioner Finance department Atal Dulloo.
Born in 1965, Dr Nazir A Ganai was behind getting SKUAST-K prestigious Rs 30 Crore World Bank ICAR project (NAHEP).
With more than 30 years of experience in teaching, research and extension and 11 years experience as Professor, Dr Ganai has done PhD in Genetics and Breeding from National Dairy Research Institute Karnal.
He has also done post doctorate from Wageningen University of Research (WUR), Netherlands
Ganai has been Director planning and Monitoring for about four years and he has also held a number of administrative positions at SKUAST-K earlier.
He got a joint fellowship on academic leadership by IIT Roorke/ Michigan University USA in Nov-Dec 2018 and Durham International Fellowship for Research and Enterprise Durham University, UK October-December 2016.
He also got a visiting Fellowship Wisconsin State University USA in June 2012 and Erasmus Mundus Fellowship of European Union at Wageningen University Netherlands January-March 2009
As a teacher, researcher and administrator, Prof Nazir has acquired the knowledge and experiences to shape the vision of the SKUAST-K which will help it to transform the power of the graduate students into the wealth of skilled, knowledgeable, next-gen leaders, with a changed mind-set for creativity and innovation.
In the capacity of Director for Strategic Planning and Monitoring, of SKUAST-K Prof Nazir already moved three draft policies for approval. He has a number of research publications in reputed international journals.
“During my stint as VC at SKUAST-K, I will re-orient education, research and extension for a long-term goal of building a knowledge-based and technology-driven agri-economy in J&K and make it a model for the country,” he said.
He said he will also bring in innovation for entrepreneurship as the 4th mandate of the university which will be the point of convergence for the other three mandates of education, research and extension.
“This move shall set the ball rolling for every teacher, researcher, student including the non-teaching staff, that there is a purpose for being in SKUAST-K,” he said.