In a significant academic development, Professor Umakant Dash has officially taken charge as the vice chancellor (VC) of the prestigious Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE) in Pune. The handing-over ceremony took place on July 29 in the presence of the outgoing vice chancellor, Prof Shankar Das, who formally handed over charge to his successor.
Students and staff of GIPE, a premier institute known for its contributions to economics and public policy, expressed heartfelt gratitude to Prof Das for dedicated leadership and committed service during his tenure. Under his stewardship, the institute witnessed considerable academic and institutional growth.
As per the information given by the GIPE administration, the new VC, Prof Umakant Dash, brings with him over 30 years of rich experience in management education, research, and institution building. Prior to this appointment, he was serving as the director and RBI Chair Professor at the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA), a leading institution in rural development and management in India.
An accomplished academician and visionary leader, Prof Dash has previously held senior academic positions at prestigious institutions, including IIT Madras, BITS Pilani, Utara University of Malaysia, and Tulane University in the United States. He holds a Ph.D. in Applied Economics from IIT Kanpur and a Diploma in Health Systems Management from Tulane University.
Prof Dash has led several collaborative research projects, spanning countries such as South Africa, Thailand, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Kenya, and the United Kingdom. He has also guided 17 doctoral scholars in management and public policy, many of whom have gone on to hold significant positions in academia and policymaking institutions.
{{/usCountry}}Prof Dash has led several collaborative research projects, spanning countries such as South Africa, Thailand, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Kenya, and the United Kingdom. He has also guided 17 doctoral scholars in management and public policy, many of whom have gone on to hold significant positions in academia and policymaking institutions.
{{/usCountry}}Currently, he serves on the governing and academic boards of several reputed institutions such as IIT Indore, the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRD\&PR) Hyderabad, Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management (LBSIM) New Delhi, National Institute of Bank Management (NIBM) Pune, and the National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (NIRT) Chennai.