Nalanda University Chancellor steps down
He resigned from the post saying the varsity's autonomy was being affected as he was not even given notice of the leadership change.
New Delhi: In an embarrassment for the Indian Government, former foreign affairs minister of Singapore George Yeo, the second chancellor of Nalanda University after Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, on Friday resigned from the post saying the varsity’s autonomy was being affected as he was “not even given notice” of the leadership change in the institution.
“The circumstances under which the leadership change in Nalanda University has been suddenly and summarily effected is disturbing and possibly harmful to the University’s development,” Yeo said in a statement to the members of the earlier Board of the university.
“For reasons not entirely clear to me, the Government of India has decided to form the new governing board with immediate effect before the Act is amended.
“This is of course entirely the prerogative of the government of India,” he added. The Board was reconstituted by President Pranab Mukherjee as its Visitor on November 21 which severed Sen’s nearly decade-long association with the institution.