Dr Ajit Kumar Shasany, former Director of the CSIR‑National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), has formally assumed charge as the Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of Odisha (CUO).
His appointment was notified on July 2, 2026, by the President of India, and he joined the university on August 6 for a five‑year term.
Dr Shasany took over from Prof N.C. Panda, Dean of Schools and Head of the Department of Sanskrit, who had been serving as acting Vice-Chancellor. The charge handover ceremony was attended by Registrar‑in‑Charge Dr Sanjay Kumar Pradhan, Finance Officer Duryodhan Sethy, and other officials. Following the ceremony, Dr Shasany interacted with students, research scholars, and faculty members.
A distinguished scientist and academic administrator, Dr Shasany has held several key positions during his career. He previously served as Director of NBRI, headed the ICAR‑National Institute for Plant Biotechnology in New Delhi, and worked as Chief Scientist in the Biotechnology Division of CSIR‑CIMAP, Lucknow.
Established under the Central Universities Act, 2009, CUO is among the 15 new central universities set up to improve equity and access to higher education in underserved regions. University officials expressed confidence that Dr Shasany’s extensive experience in scientific research, innovation, and academic leadership will strengthen CUO’s teaching, research, and outreach activities.
