Vice-Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University

Chief Executive Administrator of Banaras Hindu University

Vice-Chancellor of the Banaras Hindu University

Hindi: Kashi Hindu Vishvavidyaalay ke Kulpati

BHU Flag flies atop vice-chancellor's car and office

Incumbent
Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi

since 1 August 2025

Style| The Hon'ble Vice-Chancellor[1][2]
Type| Vice-chancellor
Status| Chief Executive of the Banaras Hindu University
Abbreviation| VC-BHU
Member of| Executive Council, Academic Council, and Finance Committee of the Banaras Hindu University
Reports to| Executive Council, University Court, and President of India
Residence| Cochin House, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India[3]
Seat| Central Office, Banaras Hindu University
Nominator| Ministry of Education
Appointer| President of India
(Visitor of the university)
Term length| Three years
Second term of fresh appointment possible.
Constituting instrument| Banaras Hindu University Act of 1915
Formation| 1 April 1916
First holder| Sir Sunder Lal
Deputy| The Rector of the Banaras Hindu University
Salary| ₹210,000 (US$2,500) monthly. Excluding other allowances[4]
Website| Official website

The vice-chancellor of Banaras Hindu University (VC-BHU)[5][6] is the chief administrator, and a full-time salaried officer of the Banaras Hindu University. The vice-chancellor derives their powers from sections 7(B) and 7(C) of the Banaras Hindu University Act (BHU Act) and from the statutes of the said act.[7][8]

Although the chancellor of Banaras Hindu University, preceding the vice-chancellor, is "head of the university" under the BHU Act, it is only a titular position.[9] The vice-chancellor is the principal executive and principal academic officer of the university. She or he is the ex-officio chairperson of the Executive Council, the Academic Council, and the Finance Committee of the university.[10]

Applications for the appointment of vice-chancellor of Banaras Hindu University are invited openly by the Ministry of Education, which shortlists candidates interviewed by its search committee.[11] The shortlisted candidates are recommended to the President of India. Upon their satisfaction, the president appoints the vice-chancellor.[4][12] Per the BHU Act, vice-chancellors of the university have a three-year tenure in the office. They are, however, eligible for a second term of appointment upon expiration of the first term with preferably not more than 67 years of age. [13] The maximum age for holding the office is 70 years.[14] When a vice-chancellor leaves office by the means of retirement, resignation, death, or ill-health, the rector assumes the office as officiating vice-chancellor to avoid interregnum.[15][6]

During the British Indian and Indian Dominion administration, the appointments were made by the Governor General.[16]

There have been 29 vice-chancellors since the establishment of the university.[17][15] Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi was appointed as the 29th Vice-Chancellor in July 2025, and took charge on 1 August 2025.[18][19]

## Chronological list

[edit]

The vice-chancellors of Banaras Hindu University, in chronological order, are as follows:[20]

Vice-Chancellors of Banaras Hindu University  No. | Image  | Name  | Period of office[20] | Remarks

|
|
|
|

1  |  | Rai Bahadur

Sir Sunder Lal

CIE

| 1 April 1916  | 13 April 1918  |

* Founding vice-chancellor[16]
* Sir Sunderlal Hospital in the university named after him[21]

2  |  | Sir P.S. Sivaswami Iyer

KCSI CIE

| 13 April 1918  | 8 May 1919  |

* Presided as the vice-chancellor at university's first convocation[22]

3  |  | Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya

Bharat Ratna

| 29 November 1919  | 20 August 1939  |

* Served for more than 19 years[23]
* Founder of the university[23]

4  |  | Sir Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

Bharat Ratna

| 17 September 1939  | 16 January 1948  |

* Served for more than 8 years[24]
* 1st Vice President of India, later went on to become 2nd President of India[25]

5  |  | Amarnath Jha

Padma Bhushan

| 27 February 1948  | 5 December 1948  | [26]
6  |  | Pandit Govind Malaviya | 6 December 1948  | 21 November 1951  |

* Alumnus of the Banaras Hindu University[27]
* Youngest son of university founder Madan Mohan Malaviya[28]

7  |  | Acharya Narendra Dev | 6 December 1951  | 31 May 1954  | [29][30][31]
8  |  | Sir C. P. Ramaswami Iyer

KCSI KCIE

| 1 July 1954  | 2 July 1956  | [32][33]
9  |  | Veni Shankar Jha

Padma Bhushan

| 3 July 1956  | 16 April 1960  | [34][35]
10  |  | N. H. Bhagwati | 16 April 1960  | 15 April 1966  | [36]
11  |  | Triguna Sen | 9 October 1966  | 15 March 1967  | [37]
12  |  | A. C. Joshi | 1 September 1967  | 31 July 1969  | [38]
13  |  | Kalu Lal Shrimali

Padma Vibhushan

| 1 November 1969  | 31 January 1977  |

* Alumnus of the Banaras Hindu University[39]

14  |  | Moti Lal Dhar | 2 February 1977  | 15 December 1977  |

* First and only Kashmiri Pandit to hold this position[40]

15  |  | Hari Narain

Padma Shri

| 15 May 1978  | 14 May 1981  | [41]
16  |  | Iqbal Narain | 19 October 1981  | 29 April 1985  | [42]
17  |  | R. P. Rastogi | 30 April 1985  | 29 April 1991  | [43]
18  |  | C. S. Jha | 1 May 1991  | 14 June 1993  | [44]
19  |  | D. N. Mishra | 8 February 1994  | 27 June 1995  | [45]
20  |  | Hari Gautam | 2 August 1995  | 25 August 1998  | [46]
21  |  | Y. C. Simhadri | 31 August 1998  | 20 February 2002  | [47]
22  |  | Patcha Ramachandra Rao | 20 February 2002  | 19 February 2005  |

* Alumnus of the Banaras Hindu University[48]

23  |  | Panjab Singh | 3 May 2005  | 7 May 2008  | [49]
24  |  | D. P. Singh | 8 May 2008  | 21 August 2011  |

* India Today-Nielsen ranked the university best in India[50][51]

25  |  | Lalji Singh

Padma Shri, FNA, FASc

| 22 August 2011  | 21 August 2014  |

* Alumnus of the Banaras Hindu University[52]
* Undertook various reforms in the university[53]
* Voluntarily received only a token salary of ₹ 1 per month[54][55]

26  |  | Girish Chandra Tripathi | 27 November 2014  | 26 November 2017  |

* Banaras Hindu University women's rights protest during his tenure[56]

27  |  | Rakesh Bhatnagar | 28 March 2018  | 28 March 2021  | [57]
28  |  | Sudhir K. Jain

Padma Shri

| 7 January 2022  | 7 January 2025  | [20]

* NIRF ranking of the university dropped from third to sixth after five years [58][59]

29  |  | Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi | 1 August 2025  | Incumbent |

* Worked previously at the University.[60][61]

[62]

## Timeline

[edit]

Central Registry in the university is the seat/office of the vice-chancellor. Madan Mohan Malviya resigned as the vice-chancellor in 1939 due to poor health

Vice-chancellors of Banaras Hindu University

* v
* t
* e

## See also

[edit]

* List of Banaras Hindu University people

## References

[edit]

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10. ^ Banaras Hindu University Act (PDF) (Act 16, 7(C)(1), 7(C)(2)). Parliament of India. 1915. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original on 19 November 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2022.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
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20. ^ a b c "List of Vice Chancellors". www.bhu.ac.in. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
21. ^ Banaras Hindu University, Dean, Faculty of Science [@DeanScienceBHU] (21 May 2021). "Rai Bahadur' Sir Sunder Lal ji was named the founding Vice-Chancellor of #BHU. The Sir Sunderlal Hospital of IMS, BHU is named in his honor" (Tweet) - via Twitter.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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24. ^ "Happy Teacher's Day 2022: BHU के 9 साल VC रहे थे डॉ सर्वपल्ली राधाकृष्णन, अंग्रेजों की कैंपस में थी नो एंट्री" [Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was VC of BHU for 9 years, Britishers had no entry in the campus.]. News18 हिंदी (in Hindi). 5 September 2022. Archived from the original on 29 September 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
25. ^ "Tradition meets modernity". India Today. 30 June 2016. Archived from the original on 8 April 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
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27. ^ Parliament of India: Who's Who (1950) (PDF). New Delhi. 1950. p. 61\. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 November 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2023.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
28. ^ "MM Malvia's daughter-in-law is dead". The Times of India. 18 February 2002. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 15 November 2023. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
29. ^ "इसलिए सरकारी कार का इस्तेमाल नहीं करते थे बीएचयू के ये कुलपति" [That's why this BHU Vice Chancellor did not use the government car]. Navbharat Times (in Hindi). Archived from the original on 16 December 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
30. ^ "काशी विद्यापीठ में आचार्य ने रोपी समाजवाद की नर्सरी, बीएचयू और विद्यापीठ के कुलपति पद को किया सुशोभित" [Acharya planted the nursery of socialism in Kashi Vidyapeeth, decorated the post of Vice Chancellor of BHU and Vidyapeeth.]. Amar Ujala (in Hindi). Archived from the original on 3 December 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
31. ^ admin (19 February 1971). "Acharya Narendra Deo 1971". iStampgallery. Archived from the original on 15 November 2023. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
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33. ^ Shakunthala Jagannathan (1999). Sir C. P. Remembered. Vakils, Feffer and Simmons Ltd. p. 139\. ISBN 81-87111-27-5.
34. ^ Dar, S.L.; Somaskandan, S. (1966). History Of The Banaras Hindu University. Banaras Hindu University Press. p. 828\. ISBN 8185305226.
35. ^ Sunil N. Shabde (16 October 2012). Meteoric Life of a Mathematician: A tribute to Dr. N.G. Shabde. Xlibris Corporation. p. 309\. ISBN 978-1-4771-2912-8. Archived from the original on 16 December 2023. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
36. ^ Dam, Shubhankar (March 2023). "Active After Sunset : The Politics of Judicial Retirements in India*". Federal Law Review. 51 (1): 31–57\. doi:10.1177/0067205X221146335. ISSN 0067-205X. S2CID 256253551.
37. ^ Legal, India (30 September 2017). "Campus unrest in BHU: Hard Lessons". India Legal. Archived from the original on 20 November 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
38. ^ Randhawa, MS. "Amar Chand Joshi" (PDF). Indian National Science Academy. INSA. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
39. ^ "Members Bioprofile". loksabhaph.nic.in. Archived from the original on 13 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
40. ^ "Milchar". ikashmir.net. Archived from the original on 1 June 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
41. ^ "INSA :: Deceased Fellow Detail". www.insaindia.res.in. Archived from the original on 8 December 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
42. ^ SHEKHAR GUPTA Varanasi (15 July 2013). "V-C shuts down Banaras Hindu University sine die to 'clean up' institution". India Today. Archived from the original on 3 August 2023. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
43. ^ "नहीं रहे रसायन शास्त्री प्रो. आरपी रस्तोगी" [Chemist Prof RP Rastogi is no more]. Hindustan (in Hindi). Archived from the original on 15 November 2023. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
44. ^ Indian Engineering Congress. "Prof C S JhaMemorial Lecture" (PDF). ieindia.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
45. ^ "Sudhir Mishra's father Devendra Nath Mishra passes away". The Indian Express. 2 April 2020. Archived from the original on 18 November 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
46. ^ "Ex-UGC chief to head KGMU". Hindustan Times. 8 July 2006. Archived from the original on 28 August 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
47. ^ "बीएचयू के पूर्व कुलपति प्रो.वाईसी सिम्हाद्री का निधन, कड़े प्रशासक के रूप में किए जाएंगे याद" [Former Vice Chancellor of BHU Prof. YC Simhadri passes away, will be remembered as a strict administrator]. Amar Ujala (in Hindi). Archived from the original on 18 November 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
48. ^ "INSA". 12 August 2016. Archived from the original on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
49. ^ "Panjab Singh takes charge as new NAAS president". India Today. 2 January 2017. Archived from the original on 18 November 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
50. ^ "Hubs of excellence". India Today. 24 May 2010. Archived from the original on 18 July 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
51. ^ "Banaras Hindu University – The Halls of Ivy" (PDF). India Today. 31 May 2010. pp. 64, 66. Archived from the original on 17 April 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
52. ^ "Lalji Singh appointed as BHU Vice-Chancellor". The Hindu. 18 August 2011. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 23 November 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
53. ^ "Prof. Lalji Singh: A man of dreams, courage and commitment (Obituary)". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 11 April 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
54. ^ "Dr Lalji Singh to take only Re 1 as wage for BHU VC". news.webindia123.com. Archived from the original on 1 June 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
55. ^ "BHU से 1 रुपए सैलरी लेता था क‍िसान का ये बेटा, साइंट‍िस्ट बन क‍िया था ये खोज" [This farmer's son used to take 1 rupee salary from BHU, he made this discovery after becoming a scientist]. Dainik Bhaskar (in Hindi). Archived from the original on 11 September 2022. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
56. ^ Nanda, Prashant K. (28 September 2017). "BHU violence: Govt unlikely to remove VC GC Tripathi". mint. Archived from the original on 18 November 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
57. ^ "Varanasi News: पूरा हुआ BHU के वीसी राकेश भटनागर का कार्यकाल, रेक्टर को सौंपा चार्ज" [Varanasi News: BHU VC Rakesh Bhatnagar's tenure complete, rector handed over charge]. Navbharat Times (in Hindi). Archived from the original on 18 November 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
58. ^ "NIRF Ranking: एनआईआरएफ रैंकिंग में बीएचयू का खराब प्रदर्शन, तीन पायदान नीचे खिसका, देश के टॉप-10 संस्थानों की सूची से भी बाहर" [NIRF Ranking: Poor performance of BHU in NIRF ranking, slipped three places, out of the list of top-10 institutions of the country.]. Amar Ujala (in Hindi). Archived from the original on 6 October 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
59. ^ "NIRF: यूनिवर्सिटी रैंकिंग में JNU दूसरे स्थान पर कायम, BHU छठे पायदान पर खिसका, टॉप 10 से AMU बाहर" [NIRF: JNU remains at second position in university ranking, BHU slipped to sixth position, AMU out of top 10.]. Hindustan (in Hindi). Archived from the original on 15 July 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
60. ^ "Banaras Hindu University, [BHU], Varanasi-221005, U.P., India. - Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India". www.bhu.ac.in. Archived from the original on 24 July 2025. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
61. ^ "Who is Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi? Former IIT-Roorkee director appointed as new Banaras Hindu University vice chancellor — all you need to know". The Times of India. 1 August 2025. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
62. ^ "New BHU VC takes charge, says need to work in mission mode". Hindustan Times. 1 August 2025. Retrieved 4 August 2025.

* v
* t
* e

Banaras Hindu University

Leadership|

Founder
Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya
Visitor
President of India
Chancellor
Justice Giridhar Malaviya
Vice-Chancellor
Sudhir K. Jain

Buildings|

* Shri Vishwanath Mandir
* Bharat Kala Bhavan
* Central Library
* Sir Sunderlal Hospital

Institutes|

* Indian Institute of Technology (BHU)
* Institute of Agricultural Sciences
* Institute of Medical Sciences
* Institute of Science
* Institute of Management Studies (formerly FMS)

Faculties|

* Faculty of Arts
* Faculty of Social Sciences
* Faculty of Commerce
* Faculty of Education
* Faculty of Law
* Faculty of Performing Arts
* Faculty of Sanskrit Vidya Dharma Vigyan
* Faculty of Visual Arts

Colleges|

* Arya Mahila Mahavidyalaya
* DAV Post Graduate College
* Mahila Maha Vidyalaya
* Vasant Kanya Mahavidyalaya
* Vasanta College for Women

Schools|

* Ranveer Sanskrit Vidyalaya
* Central Hindu Boys School
* Central Hindu Girls School

People|

* Alumni
* Vice Chancellors

Publications|

* Banaras Law Journal
* Journal of Scientific Research of the Banaras Hindu University
* National Geographical Journal of India

Miscellaneous|

* BHU Act of 1915
* Kulgeet (anthem)
* Students' Union
* National Geographical Society of India

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