Ajit Chaturvedi’s Journey Back to Banaras Hindu University

This week, Banaras Hindu University’s (BHU) top seat finally saw a new face. Professor Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi—the same man who shaped research at IIT Kanpur and led IIT Roorkee—was picked as the 29th Vice-Chancellor, breaking a seven-month leadership vacuum. The Ministry of Education made it official on July 31, 2025, green-lit by President Droupadi Murmu. Chaturvedi will lead BHU for the next three years or until he turns 70.

There’s something poetic about his return. Way back in the 1990s, Prof. Chaturvedi was just starting out. From 1994 to 1996, fresh off his engineering degrees, he taught electronics at BHU’s Institute of Technology—long before it became IIT (BHU) Varanasi. Nearly thirty years later, he’s back—not as a junior lecturer but as the university’s new leader.

The office wasn’t empty while the search went on. Rector Prof. Sanjay Kumar was holding the fort as acting VC after Prof. Sudhir K Jain stepped down in January. Chaturvedi’s appointment ends months of speculation about who would take over at one of India’s most storied universities.

Leadership, Awards, and A Vision for BHU

What stands out about Prof. Chaturvedi isn’t just his old connection to BHU. He’s been everywhere top-notch engineering happens. An IIT Kanpur alumnus to the core, he earned all three degrees—BTech, MTech, and PhD—in electrical engineering. After his last round at BHU, he joined IIT Roorkee and, later, settled into a long stint at IIT Kanpur from 1999 onward. There, he grabbed almost every big role: Department Head, Dean of R&D, Deputy Director, and even a prestigious chair professorship. He hit the top rung at Roorkee too, serving as Director from 2017 to 2022.

Chaturvedi’s experience stretches beyond just one institution. While at IIT Roorkee, he managed to juggle extra responsibilities, filling in as Director at both the Indian Institute of Advanced Study in Shimla and IIT Mandi. Few academic leaders in India have a résumé as packed as his.

His research punch isn’t just talk. He’s made a mark in communication systems—including waveform shaping and wireless communication. Back in 2008, the Department of Telecommunications trusted him to help set new rules for how mobile spectrum is divided among telecom players. His name pops up next to big teaching and innovation awards: the INSA Teacher Award in 2017, IIT Kanpur’s own Distinguished Teacher Award in 2007, plus the Tan Chin Tuan Fellowship from Singapore’s Nanyang Technical University. Under his guidance, student teams have bagged Microsoft’s innovation award and several top project honors at IITs.

• BTech, MTech, PhD: All from IIT Kanpur
• Director Experience: IIT Roorkee (2017–2022)
• Past BHU Faculty: Electronics Engineering, 1994–1996
• Notable Awards: INSA Teacher Award (2017), IIT Kanpur Distinguished Teacher (2007)
• Research Focus: Communication systems and wireless tech

Bringing Chaturvedi back to BHU feels like closing a circle. With a leader deeply familiar with both the legacy and modern demands of universities, students and faculty alike have high hopes. His mix of grassroots experience and high-level administration could mean big changes ahead for this iconic institution.