Mysore/Mysuru: Registrar of Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) Prof. Lingaraja Gandhi has been appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of Bangalore City University (earlier Bangalore Central University) that has an illustrious legacy of 160 years on the Central College Campus. The appointment was made by Governor Vajubhai R. Vala who is the Chancellor of Universities.  

Prof. Gandhi has over 38 years of teaching, research and administrative experience at University level and has held substantive post in the University of Mysore since1987. Hailing from Department of Post-Graduate Studies and Research in English, University of Mysore (UoM), he also served as a Registrar of Mysore University. 

He has served as the Registrar of Bangalore Central University and also was the Director, Directorate of Distance Education, UoM. He has served as the Director, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Board & Nodal Officer for RUSA and University Ranking Surveys and was the Director of College Development Council. 

Prof. Gandhi has written five books and his publications have seen light in many international journals. In addition to English literature and language, his publications include on allied subjects such as journalism, society, culture and higher education. 

Basically a student of journalism, Prof. Gandhi started his career as a reporter in Star of Mysore and now he has climbed up the ladder to be the VC of Bengaluru City University. 

Speaking to SOM on his new responsibility, Prof. Gandhi said that Nobel Laureate C.V. Raman did his first experiment at the Central College that grew to Bangalore University and now trifurcated into three Universities — Bangalore University, Bangalore University (City) and Bangalore University (North). 

He said that he has a vision of developing the Bangalore City University into an international University that is focussed on research. Many courses would be introduced and as the Varsity is located in the heart of Bengaluru, there are plans to tie-up with companies and professional bodies to introduce new streams of learning, he added. 

Having a strong belief that Universities must produce quality teachers, Prof. Gandhi feels the ancient Guru Parampara must be introduced to younger generations as part of Indian culture.  

Born on Nov. 14, 1959 to C. Kalegowda and Siddamma couple, Prof. Gandhi hails from Hagaranahalli Mantikoppalu village in Hunsur Taluk. Finishing his primary education at his village, Prof. Gandhi completed his PUC from K.R. Nagar Government PU College and then entered Maharaja’s College for a degree in English, Journalism and Public Administration. 

He did his PG from University of Mysore and as his family was poor, he had to do manual labour too when young to supplement the family income. He was greatly influenced by his father and learnt about Swami Vivekananda when he was in eighth standard. 

On ‘Gandhi’ in his name, Prof Lingaraja Gandhi said that his father was a freedom fighter. “When my father admitted me to a school, my teacher Puttannaiah added ‘Gandhi’ to my name with the consent of my dad,” he revealed.