M A I N   N E W S

Pathak to be new PU VC
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, July 15 — Prof Kare Narain Pathak, the seniormost teacher in Panjab University, has been named as the new Vice- Chancellor, university sources said here today. Professor Pathak replaces Prof M.M. Puri whose term is scheduled to end on July 22.

Professor Pathak, was invited from North Western University, Evaston, Illinois (USA), to join the university as a reader. He was made professor in 1977.

Professor Pathak, talking to The Tribune, said to implement his academic agenda required changes in programmes which would be announced after he interacts with various departments on the campus.

Professor Pathak said he was for building interaction among various wings, including students, faculty, non-teaching departments and the fellows.

Prof Pathak is a product of the IIT Kanpur. He majored in science from Allahabad University in 1962. Born in July 1941, Professor Pathak has been a scholarship holder throughout his student days. He has taught in North America and Europe for more than 10 years.

He has published 122 research papers, five review articles in international journals. Professor Pathak has several awards and distinctions to his credit, including the Meghand Saha Award. He is a fellow of the Indian Academy of Science and the National Academy of Sciences, holder of the UGC National Fellowship Award and the Senior Alexander Von Humboldt Fellowship Award. He is the founder member of the Society for Scientific Values.

Professor Pathak has been the Dean University Instructions, head of the Physics Department and Dean of the Science faculty. Presently he is the Director of the Centre for Industry Institute Partnership.

Professor Pathak has been serving on various committees of universities, the UGC, CSIR, UPSC and the DST. His field of specialisation is condensed matter physics and solid state physics.

The serving VC, Professor Puri and Mrs Rashmi Sudha Puri went up to Professor Pathak’s residence to congratulate him. A large number of senior fellows and university staff members also lined up at his residence to greet him.