The Governor of Kerala has appointed Dr. D Mavoothu, a professor of management studies at Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat), as the interim vice-chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi (M G) University. This appointment comes after the retirement of Dr. C T Aravind Kumar, who had been serving as the acting vice-chancellor.
Academic Background
Dr. Mavoothu currently serves as the dean of management studies at both Kerala University and Cusat. He hails from Tamil Nadu and earned his MBA from Madurai Kamaraj University. He completed his PhD at Cusat. His academic expertise lies in the field of management studies.
Appointment Process
The state government did not provide any special recommendations or a panel of candidates to the Governor for the interim VC position. The appointment was made directly by the Governor, exercising his authority.
Dr. Mavoothu is also known to be a member of a teachers' association that is affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). His appointment marks a new chapter for M G University, which has been without a permanent vice-chancellor since the retirement of Prof. Sabu Thomas in May 2023.
For the past three years, Dr. C T Aravind Kumar, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, had been handling the responsibilities of the vice-chancellor. With Dr. Mavoothu's appointment, the university will have an interim leader while the search for a permanent VC continues.
