Visionary leadership is more important than ever in a nation where higher education is changing quickly. The dynamic vice chancellors are among the changemakers influencing this shift.
In India, there aren’t many women in this esteemed position. These women are not only shattering glass ceilings but also paving the road for others to follow. Her leadership demonstrates a potent fusion of intelligence, integrity, and innovation, drawing from her decades of experience in academics, research, and institutional governance.
We examine their path in further detail in this blog, from their early scholarly endeavors to their current role as the impetus behind inclusive legislation, high-quality education, and international partnerships. Their narrative is about changing the course of Indian education, one choice at a time, rather than merely focusing on personal achievement.
Here are five notable and influential female vice chancellors in India, along with some background on their careers, even if it’s hard to choose the top five.
1. Inderjit Kaur, Vice-Chancellor in North India, leading Punjabi University, Patiala
Kaur Inderjit Sandhu led Punjabi University in Patiala and was the first female vice chancellor in North India.
She also called Inderjit Kaur, was an Indian administrator and educationist who lived from 1 September 1923 to 27 January 2022. She served as the Chairperson of the Staff Selection Commission in New Delhi from 1980 to 1985 and as the third Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University in Patiala from 1975 to 1977. The first woman to lead both of these organizations was Sandhu.
She completed her elementary schooling at Victoria Girls School in Patiala before traveling to Lahore to enroll in RB Sohan Lal Training College’s Bachelor of Teaching program. She then graduated with an MA in Philosophy from Government College in Lahore and finished the inaugural cohort of Mahindra College’s Punjabi language master’s program in Patiala.
In 1946, she began teaching at Patiala’s Government College for Women.She was on the governing council of Khalsa College in Amritsar from 1950 to 1953 in addition to being a professor of education at the State College of Education. From 1958 to 1967, she was a teacher at Basic Training College in Chandigarh, where she also rose to the position of vice-principal.
In Patiala and later Amritsar, she was also the principal of the Government College for Women. She was appointed vice-chancellor of Punjabi University in Patiala in 1975, a position she held for three years.
In 1980, Inderjit Kaur was elected to a five-year term as the Chairperson of the Staff Selection Commission in New Delhi.
In its Dhian Punjab Dian (Daughters of Punjab) series, Doordarshan Jalandhar produced a Punjabi documentary about her.She was the subject of a feature story in several Indian languages by the BBC. On September 1, 2021, the book “Inderjit Kaur Sandhu: An Inspiring Journey” was published. There are thirty papers in Punjabi and English in the bilingual festschrift.
2. Najma Akhtar, Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia
From 2019 to 2023, Najma Akhtar held the position of Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia. She was notable for being JMI’s first female employee in this role. Additionally, she received the Padma Shri in 2022.
She is an academic administrator and scholar from India. She was Jamia Millia Islamia’s vice chancellor from April 12, 2019, to November 12, 2023. In addition, she is the first female employee at JMI. In 2022, the Indian government bestowed upon her the Padma Shri.
In 1953, Akhtar was born.She received a National Science Talent Scholarship and a gold medal while attending Aligarh Muslim University. She graduated from Kurukshetra University with a doctorate in education.
For fifteen years, Akhtar oversaw courses for senior executives from 130 nations while employed at the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration.
President Ram Nath Kovind gave the Ministry of Human Resource Development permission in April 2019 to name Akhtar vice chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia for a five-year term or until he is 70, whichever comes first. Akhtar served in that capacity until November 12, 2023.
She stated, “I was definitely against the glass ceiling, but my aim was not to break it,” in reference to her selection as the first female vice chancellor in the university’s 99-year history. If you have the same training and experience, why is it there at all?
3. Renu Vig, Vice Chancellor of the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Chandigarh
Dr. Renu Vig presently serves as the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University’s vice chancellor in Chandigarh. She has a solid engineering background and has worked on a number of research projects.
The 14th vice-chancellor of Punjab University is Dr. Renu Vig, a professor and scholar from India.She is Punjab University’s first female vice-chancellor. Renu Vig earned a Gold Medal for achieving the top rank across all departments at Punjab Engineering College, where she earned her B.E. in 1985. In 1997, she obtained her Ph.D. with a focus on neural networks and artificial intelligence.
The Institution of Engineers (India) presented her with the “Eminent Engineer Award” in 2018.
At Punjab Engineering College, Vig started out as a teaching assistant before moving on to become a lecturer. From 1997 until 2003, she served as an assistant professor at the Technical Teachers’ Training Institute, which is now known as NITTTR.
In 2003, she began working as a reader at Punjab University’s University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET), and in 2005, she was promoted to professor.
4. Anuradha Lohia, Vice-Chancellor of Presidency University, Kolkata
In India, Anuradha Lohia is a pioneer in scientific education and research. She has made groundbreaking discoveries in the field of infectious illnesses and is a distinguished molecular scientist. She was honored with the 2001 National Award for Young Woman Bioscientist. In Hyderabad, India, Anuradha was named the first CEO of the Indo-British company Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance.
After that, she spent nine years as the vice-chancellor of Presidency University in Kolkata. At the moment, she serves as the Chairperson of Kolkata’s Manovikas Kendra.
She attended Calcutta’s Modern High School for Girls. She earned her M.Sc. in physiology from Rajabazar Science College at the University of Calcutta and her B.Sc. (Hons) in physiology from Presidency College. Her doctoral research in biochemistry from the Indian Institute of Chemical Biology focused on Vibrio cholerae cell surface studies.
In addition, she received the UNESCO Molecular and Cell Biology network grant, the Stree Shakti award, the National Award for Young Woman Bioscientist (2001, Government of India), and the Rockefeller Foundation Biotechnology Career Fellowship (1993–1997).In 2025, she received The Telgraph t2, Kolkata’s SHE award for Education.
5. Uma Kanjilal,Vice Chancellor of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
Uma Kanjilal was named the first female vice chancellor of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), forty years after the institution’s founding.
She has a wealth of academic leadership and digital innovation experience, having worked in open and distance learning for more than 36 years. Throughout her career at IGNOU, she has played important roles in the development of digital infrastructure and online education.
Ms. Kanjilal, who has been a professor of library and information science since 2003, is well-known throughout the country for her proficiency in developing multimedia courseware, e-learning, and ICT in libraries.
She presently serves as the National Coordinator for the Ministry of Education’s main digital education programs, SWAYAM and SWAYAM PRABHA.
Director of the Center for Online Education (2019–2021), Director of the Inter-University Consortium for Technology Enabled Flexible Education (2016–2019), Director of the Advanced Center for Informatics and Innovative Learning (2012–2013), Director of the School of Social Sciences (2007–2010), and University Librarian (2004–2006) are just a few of the leadership positions that Ms. Kanjilal has held at the university.
Prior to her present position as active vice chancellor, she was the university’s pro vice chancellor from March 2021 until July 2024.