Koraput: Noted Sanskrit scholar and academician Prof Narasingha Charan Panda has taken over the responsibilities as the acting Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of Odisha (CUO).
He took charge as the acting VC following an order issued based on a communication of the Union Ministry of Education, a press release from CUO said on Thursday.
Prof Panda, currently the senior-most professor and Dean of all Schools at CUO, will serve in this capacity until a new Vice-Chancellor assumes office or until further order(s), whichever is earlier. His appointment follows the resignation of Prof Chakradhar Tripathi, who stepped down from the post on April 30. His resignation has been accepted by the President. Prof Tripathi had joined CUO on September 26, 2022.
Upon assuming office, Prof Panda addressed the university community, stating, “This is a challenging time for the university, and only through collective effort we can move forward.” He called for wholehearted support from all teaching, non-teaching staff, students and stakeholders.
Prof Panda joined CUO as a Professor in the Department of Sanskrit on January 23, 2023. In the CUO he served as Vice-Chancellor I/c., Dean of all Schools, Registrar I/c., Finance Officer I/c. and Director IQAC. Prior to this, he was associated with the Department of Sanskrit & Indological Studies at Panjab University, (Chandigarh) Hoshiarpur, Punjab. His academic journey spans over three decades and includes prestigious international tenures, such as serving as the ICCR Chair Visiting Professor of Sanskrit at Silpakorn University, Bangkok, Thailand and at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute, Mauritius.
He has also worked as a Research Officer at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), Varanasi, and edited several scholarly volumes, including Kalatattvakosa. An accomplished author and editor, Prof. Panda has published 28 books, 145 Research Papers and edited reputed journals like Vishveshvaranand, Indological Journals (UGC-CARE listed), and Thai Prajna, an international journal of Indology and Culture published by Silpakorn University, Bangkok.
His work has been widely published in esteemed journals both in India and abroad. He serves on the editorial and advisory boards of several academic bodies worldwide. His academic contributions have earned him numerous accolades, including the Sanskrita Mahamahopadhyaya Award (2024) and the Bagdevi Samman (2025).
