12

Pro Chancellor

Dr.Sheela Ramachandran is the Pro Chancellor of Atmiya University, Rajkot, Gujarat. She is also one of the Directors of NISWIN FOODS, Coimbatore, for Wheat Milling, with subsidy from Min. of Food Processing Industry.
She was formerly the Vice – Chancellor of Avinashilingam Deemed University for Women, Coimbatore since 23.08.2010 to 22.08.2015. She was the Principal of PSG College of Arts & Science, Coimbatore, from 2004 to August 2010 and had returned to her alma mater after 29 years at PSG. She has a total of 40 years of experience in the field of Higher Education.
She completed her postgraduate degree in Foods & Nutrition in 1979 and postgraduate Diploma in Food Science & Preservation in 1977 from Avinashilingam Home Science College for Women, affiliated to Madras University and later obtained her Ph.D from Bharathiar University in 1995.

She has a rich academic knowledge and teaching experience of more than 40 years. She has produced 7 doctorates, 5 M.Phil Scholars and has also guided more than 60 masters level thesis for 35 years of her active teaching stint. She is a resource person and organizer of more than 25 international, 80 national and 55 regional events.

Her administrative experience has been for more than 29 years as a HOD, in setting up the Department of Nutrition & Dietetics for development of programmes at UG, PG, M.Phil. & Ph.D. levels. As a Principal of a prestigious college, she has brought in innovations in CBCS, e-learning & video conferencing, learning experiences, evaluation reforms, innovation & entrepreneurship and in the TQM of educational institutions. She had further extrapolated these innovations in her capacity as the Vice Chancellor of a Centrally-funded Women’s University. Presently, as the Pro Chancellor of Atmiya University in Rajkot, she is innovating in a new paradigm of interwoven learning experience, across disciplines to meet the challenges of futuristic global sustained requirements in tune with the SDGs of the UN. The administrative processes are also seeing a new paradigm.
She is also advisor to various other institutions in a multi discipinary manner, including Engineering, Paramedical Sciences, Education, amongst others. She is also on the Governing Body/ BoM/ College Committee/ Academic Council/IQAC of several Universities and colleges across the country. Her experience as Chairperson of the Peer Teams for assessment by NAAC is for several years.

The MHRD, UGC & NAAC have recognized these acumen and have sought her expertise in various deliberations & committees.

Starting from being a part of policy making of the 12th Five Year Plan by MHRD; to amendments to UGC Act 1956; to framing regulations for Anti-Sexual Harrasment of Women; to various other governmental initiatives, she has shared her expertise at both national and state levels. She has assured, sustained and enhanced TQM in Higher Education through various assessment and accreditation initiatives. Her presence is made in initiatives to assure nutrition through governmental and non-governmental initiatives at the state, national and international levels.

Being a “doing is best” person, she has strong ties with the industry, most recently being the CII Education Panel Convenor, Coimbatore for 3 consecutive years; as member of Governing body of Indian Chamber of Commerce, Coimbatore Productivity Council, Coimbatore Management Association, Regional Direct Taxes Advisory Committee of Income Tax department; among others.

She was the Project Director of the prestigious Obama-Singh Research Project funded by MHRD, GOI, with a tie-up with University of Minnesota, USA, on the topic, “A sustainable ‘Response to Intervention Model’ for successful Inclusion of Children with Disabilities – A India US Partnership” for primary schools. It was one of the 8 India led research projects from 2013 to 2016, for a Research Grant of Rs. 1.5 crores.

She has served as a resource person for various initiatives in higher education, especially in curriculum redesigning, besides developing innovative teaching learning methods with the use of ICT. She is instrumental behind the first Arts & Science college in the country to have the EDUSAT (Satellite Interactive Terminal) SIT in the country, for video-conferencing. She has served as Peer Team Chairperson, Coordinator & Member for accreditation and re-accreditation of colleges by NAAC.

She is a Life Member of various national and international professional organizations like ISPEN – Indian Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition; Nutrition Society of India; Home Science Association of India; Indian Dietetic Association; and Rotary Club of Coimbatore Texcity.

She has 15 international and 30 national research publications to her credit. Her main areas of research in Nutrition are ‘Folate in Foods’ and ‘Role of Foods in Alternative Systems of Medicine’. Her strong interests also are in the field of Higher Education, especially TQM in Higher Education.

She is a recipient of 10 awards. The National Award, viz. the Amiya Kumar Bose Award, by the Indian Dietetic Association in November, 2012, during its Golden Jubilee Celebrations is worth mentioning. ICT Academy of Tamil Nadu, a Central and State Govt. sponsored Academy recognized her contributions by bestowing on her the “Academic Leader Award – 2015”.

Her forte is in pursuing and strengthening the following:

• TQM in Higher Education
• Coustomising OBE for the Vision and Mission of the Institution/domain.
• A highly flexible Choice Based Credit System
• Professionalizing higher education.
• Developing academic skills, career skills and life skills in students, teachers and administrators.

She has visited 9 countries, viz USA, Holland, Austria, Hungary, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Australia, Tanzania & Korea for paper presentations, training programmes, University Collaborative inputs and on personal level.

She is a member of Rotary Club of Coimbatore Texcity and was the Jayceerette Chairperson of Cosmo Jaycees, Junior Chamber.

She enjoys drama, antiques, interior designing and reading. She has enacted as Kannagi in a play-reading of “The Anklets” by SITRA Srinivasan in Coimbatore and looks forward to going back to theatre.

She loves to be a “Creative adult since she can be a child who has survived”. The bottomline of her activities and initiatives is in making “intelligence have fun”.

subscription