Distinguished academician Prof Prakash Gopalan has joined NIIT University (NU) as its new president. He will now work closely with the faculty, staff, as well as NU's founders, Rajendra Pawar and Vijay Thadani.

Prof Gopalan has a PhD from Purdue University, US, and an MTech from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur. He has been associated with IIT Bombay for over 26 years. Meanwhile, Pawar and Thadani have collaborated with thought leaders of the country to create a new model of higher education that is relevant to industry requirements of the 21st century, according to a press release by NU.

Further, Prof Gopalan has focused on enhancing student well-being and discipline, introducing innovative improvements to the student counselling and mentorship programmes, and earned the unique distinction of being invited to serve a second term based on exceptional performance feedback from the IIT Bombay student community. He has 71 publications in internationally referred journals and 29 papers in national and international conferences to his credit.

Welcoming Prof Gopalan, Rajendra Pawar said, "His vision, leadership, and commitment to academic excellence align perfectly with our mission to nurture the future leaders of tomorrow. We are excited to embark on this journey with him, knowing that under his guidance, our university will reach new heights of success and continue to be a beacon of knowledge and innovation."

Talking about his new role, Prof Gopalan said, "Together, we embark on a journey to foster academic excellence, innovation, and inclusivity. I am excited to collaborate with our exceptional faculty, staff, and students to create a brighter future," as noted in the press release.