Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has appointed Professor Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi as its 29th Vice Chancellor on August 1, 2025, marking a significant leadership change after Professor Sudhir Kumar Jain. Professor Ajit Kumar is a seasoned academic and education administrator, and he brings over three decades of experience as the Vice Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee, IIT Mandi, and IIT Kanpur.
Professor Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi has also served at the Department of Electronics Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, from 1994 to 1996. The professor also later joined the Department of Electronics and Computer Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee. It was in the year 1999 that Professor Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi joined the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur and served as the Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering, Dean of Research, Development, and Deputy Director.
Professor Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi is known for his pioneering work in the field of wireless communication, MIMO systems, and his administrative acumen. Professor Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi assumes the role of the Vice Chancellor of the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) for a term of three years or until he turns 70, whichever comes first.
Some quick facts about Professor Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi:-
| Category | Details |
| Name | Professor Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi |
| Current Position | Vice Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University |
| Duration | Up to 3 years or until the age of 70 (whichever falls earlier) |
| Past Leadership Role |
|
| Educational Background |
Background and the Career Path of Professor Ajit Kumr Chaturvedi
Professor Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi is a distinguished academician whose educational journey began at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, in 1986, with a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering. He has also pursued his M.Tech in the same field from IIT Kanpur in 1988, and then continued to pursue a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur in 1995.
Soon after completing his studies, he served at the Department of Electrical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, from 1994 to 1996. He then proceeded to become a faculty member in the Department of Electronics and Computer Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee. In 1999, Professor Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi joined the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, where he served as Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering, Dean of Research and Development, and Deputy Director. He was also appointed as the Professor (HAG) in August 2012 and held the Sanjay and Rachna Chair, Pradhan Chair Professorship at IIT Kanpur beginning in March 2015, before going to IIT Roorkee in 2017.
Professor Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi has also held the position of Director at the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, from January 2017 until October 2022. During this period, he has also served as the Director of the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies (IIAS), Shimla, from January 2017 to August 2018, and IIT Mandi, from July 2020 to January 2022. One of his career stops was as the Coordinator of the BSNL-IITK Telecom Centre of Excellence, wherein he completed a considerable number of projects for the Indian Telecom sector.
Below is the table format of the career timeline of Professor Ajit Kumar for a better understanding:-
| Years | Position or Role | Institutes |
| 1986 | B.Tech in Electrical Engineering | |
| 1988 | M. Tech in Electrical Engineering | |
| 1994-1996 | Lecturer, Electronics Engineering | |
| Faculty Member at the Department of Electronics and Computer Engineering | ||
| 1995 | PhD in Electrical Engineering | IIT Kanpur |
| 1999 | Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering, Dean of Research and Development and Deputy Director | |
| 2012, August | Professor (HAG) and held the Sanjay and Rachna Pradhan Chair Professorship | |
| 2017-2022 | Director | IIT Roorkee |
| 2017-2018 | Acting Director | Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS), Shimla |
| 2020-2022 | Acting Director | |
| 2025-Present | Vice Chancellor | IIT BHU |
Professor Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi has also received various awards and achievements as follows:-
- INSA Teachers Award,
- The Distinguished Teacher Award from IIT Kanpur
- The Tan Chin Tuan Fellowship from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.
- He was a founder member of the Telecom Standards Development Society of India (TSDSI).
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