VC gets 2nd chance
Dr Parimal Trivedi was the last choice of the search committee. Yet, he emerged a winner in the race to become the next GU vice-chancellor. This is how the search committee ranked the contenders
By Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Friday, June 19, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20Latest§id=2&contentid=2009061920090619033837105087cbb3)
Dr Parimal Trivedi was not the first, or even the second choice, of the search committee formed by the education department to recommend candidates for the post of Gujarat University vice-chancellor.
The three-man committee, comprising former Union minister Y K Alagh, Dr Gitesh Shah and Veer Narmad South Gujarat University V-C B A Prajapati had forwarded three names in a sealed envelop to the education department. They had also given their preferences.
At the top of the committee’s wishlist was Dr Pranav Desai, from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. Dr Desai teaches at the JNU’s Centre for Studies in Science Policy. Originally from Vadodara, Dr Desai’s candidature was proposed by JNU Vice-Chancellor Professor BB Bhattacharya.
The committee’s second choice was Dr Devendra Kodwani, lecturer in Finance at Open University, Milton Keynes, England. His candidature was proposed by none other than Mukesh Ambani, the Reliance Industries Limited boss.
Originally from Ahmedabad, Dr Kodwani was a research and teaching assistant at Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad for almost 5 years, before migrating to England.
Dr Trivedi was the panel’s third choice. Confirming the same, panel member Dr Gitesh Shah told
Ahmedabad Mirror, “Our stress was on quality. We found Dr Desai an ideal candidate to take over as GU vice-chancellor because of his experience in the field of education, and his knowledge.”
Dr Desai’s thesis on the socio-economic impact of information and communication technology : A study of the Indian banking sector got him the Ph.D.
An M.Phil, Dr Desai has seven projects to his name, including the Maharashtra government’s socio-economic impact of sea-level rise on the coastal regions of Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra; and Perspective plan for the ship-cell, National Institute of Oceanography, Goa.
Dr Desai has also authored three books. The second choice of the panel, Dr Kodwani, was born and brought up in Ahmedabad. After acquiring B Com and MBA (Finance) from Gujarat University, he took up the job of a research and teaching assistant at IIM-A.
He also worked as lecturer at B K School of Business Management, Gujarat University and went for the doctorate degree in business management at Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, England.
Dr Trivedi got his doctorate in 2006 from Sardar Patel University for his research on philosophy (physics). He is credited with introducing several new courses but his tenure as GU V-C has been controversial to say the least.
Dr Gitesh Shah said the committee had no say in choosing the V-C. He said, “Our job was to forward the names to the education department. From then onwards, it was the government’s decision.”
On his part, Dr Pranav Desai said he does regret missing out to Dr Trivedi. “I wanted to do something for education in Gujarat, which is my native. I had a few ideas that I was looking forward to implement at Gujarat University. But it is the government’s decision in the end and we have to respect it. I wish Dr Trivedi all the very best.”
By Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Friday, June 19, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20Latest§id=2&contentid=2009061920090619033837105087cbb3)
Dr Parimal Trivedi was not the first, or even the second choice, of the search committee formed by the education department to recommend candidates for the post of Gujarat University vice-chancellor.
The three-man committee, comprising former Union minister Y K Alagh, Dr Gitesh Shah and Veer Narmad South Gujarat University V-C B A Prajapati had forwarded three names in a sealed envelop to the education department. They had also given their preferences.
At the top of the committee’s wishlist was Dr Pranav Desai, from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. Dr Desai teaches at the JNU’s Centre for Studies in Science Policy. Originally from Vadodara, Dr Desai’s candidature was proposed by JNU Vice-Chancellor Professor BB Bhattacharya.
The committee’s second choice was Dr Devendra Kodwani, lecturer in Finance at Open University, Milton Keynes, England. His candidature was proposed by none other than Mukesh Ambani, the Reliance Industries Limited boss.
Originally from Ahmedabad, Dr Kodwani was a research and teaching assistant at Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad for almost 5 years, before migrating to England.
Dr Trivedi was the panel’s third choice. Confirming the same, panel member Dr Gitesh Shah told
Ahmedabad Mirror, “Our stress was on quality. We found Dr Desai an ideal candidate to take over as GU vice-chancellor because of his experience in the field of education, and his knowledge.”
Dr Desai’s thesis on the socio-economic impact of information and communication technology : A study of the Indian banking sector got him the Ph.D.
An M.Phil, Dr Desai has seven projects to his name, including the Maharashtra government’s socio-economic impact of sea-level rise on the coastal regions of Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra; and Perspective plan for the ship-cell, National Institute of Oceanography, Goa.
Dr Desai has also authored three books. The second choice of the panel, Dr Kodwani, was born and brought up in Ahmedabad. After acquiring B Com and MBA (Finance) from Gujarat University, he took up the job of a research and teaching assistant at IIM-A.
He also worked as lecturer at B K School of Business Management, Gujarat University and went for the doctorate degree in business management at Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, England.
Dr Trivedi got his doctorate in 2006 from Sardar Patel University for his research on philosophy (physics). He is credited with introducing several new courses but his tenure as GU V-C has been controversial to say the least.
Dr Gitesh Shah said the committee had no say in choosing the V-C. He said, “Our job was to forward the names to the education department. From then onwards, it was the government’s decision.”
On his part, Dr Pranav Desai said he does regret missing out to Dr Trivedi. “I wanted to do something for education in Gujarat, which is my native. I had a few ideas that I was looking forward to implement at Gujarat University. But it is the government’s decision in the end and we have to respect it. I wish Dr Trivedi all the very best.”
