• Vice-Chancellor Prof. G. Hemantha Kumar’s fruitful four-year term ends on Nov. 15
• He has many firsts to his credit; started unique and student-friendly career initiatives

By S.T. Ravikumar

The four-year tenure of University of Mysore (UoM) Vice-Chancellor Prof. G. Hemantha Kumar, who took the University academics and activities to much greater heights, is set to end on Nov. 15, 2022. He assumed office on Nov. 16, 2018.

Prof. Hemantha Kumar, who was then a faculty of UoM, was appointed as the VC of the same University by the then JD(S)-Congress coalition Government. After assuming his new role, Prof. Hemantha Kumar took the over the century-old University to greater heights while working as per the guidelines formulated and issued from time to time by the Office of the Governor, who is also the Chancellor of all State Universities, Office of Higher Education Minister, UGC and the Government.

Apart from taking new initiatives for betterment of academics, extracurricular and research related activities, he took all concerned and other stakeholders into confidence in formulating decisions and policies based on new ideas and plans.

He is credited with establishing the School of Engineering in Manasagangothri campus, for which he set up the Faculty of Engineering and also Mysore University School of Law. This apart, his plans for establishment of a Pharmacy College in the University too have taken roots. He is also credited with establishing an exclusive hostel for research scholars, a Career Hub for students and distribution of over 300 laptops to students from SC/ST and backward communities.

For the first time, he introduced OBC Scholarship for research scholars, launched two battery-operated vehicles for travel of aged parents of students and the disabled within the University campus at Manasagangothri, installation of digital display boards at 5 vantage points and the likes.

Prof. Hemantha Kumar is also the brain behind the establishment of a hi-tech Planetarium and Cosmology Centre in the University campus at the foot of Chamundi Hill, for which he signed an MoU with Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru.

Besides, he has made a lot of efforts for entering into a tie-up with other Institutions and organisations of national and international repute, for working on various academic and research projects.

Under the stewardship of Prof. Hemantha Kumar, the UoM is perhaps the first University in the State to adopt the National Education Policy-2020 in full. He also introduced a career advancement scheme for under-graduate faculty, constructed a Yoga Hall in Manasagangothri campus at a cost of Rs. 1 crore and established an Incubation Centre for the benefit of students and teachers, besides taking numerous measures for continuous research and academic activities.

His other contributions include establishment of a Science Park in a 4-acre area, launching of the University’s Community Radio and extending higher education to rural and interior parts by starting degree colleges at Terakanambi in Gundlupet taluk of Chamarajanagar district, Hallimysore in Holenarasipur taluk, Hethur in Sakleshpur taluk and other places. This apart, he  has been credited with numerous other academic, extra-curricular and sporting activities during his four-year tenure.

Initiatives

• Mysore University School of Engineering
• Pharmacy College
• Career Hub
• Hi-tech Planetarium
• Science Park
• Incubation Centre
• Battery-operated vehicles in Manasagangothri campus