Jharkhand professor becomes India’s 2nd woman tribal Vice-Chancellor

Ranchi: On Thursday when 180 migrant workers reached Ranchi from Mumbai, their first reaction was that they had never thought of flying on a plane, especially when migrant workers across the country are dying while making an attempt to reach home. Here, they not just reached their native state safely but also got a chance to travel by air. This moment of dream turning into reality was not just for these migrant workers from Jharkhand, but of each resident of the state, when the mineral rich state gave India its 2nd woman tribal Vice-Chancellor.

On Thursday itself, Governor Draupadi Murmu appointed Vice-Chancellors for three universities in Jharkhand. One of the newly appointed Vice-Chancellors is Professor Sonajharia Minz. She has been made the Vice-Chancellor of Sido Kanho Murmu University. While Mukul Narayan Deo and Professor Ram Lakhan Singh have been appointed as the VC for Binova Bhave University and Nilambar Pitambar University, respectively.

The appointment of Minz, a Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) alumni has become historic, as Minz is only the 2nd woman tribal VC in the history of India.

Minz, the daughter of Nimal Minz, the famous freedom fighter of Jharkhand, is at present, Professor at the School of Computer and System Sciences in JNU. She has been President of JNU’s Teacher Association (JNUTA) also.

Sido Kanho Murmu University was formed in 1992 by Lalu Prasad Yadav government during united Bihar. 

Professor Minz has studied Post Graduation in Mathematics from Christian College, Tambaram, Tamil Nadu. 

And later did Master in Philosophy (MPhil) and doctorate (PhD) from JNU. Before working as a Professor at JNU, she has worked as an Assistant Professor at the Barkatulla University, Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) and the Madurai Kamraj University, Madurai (Tamil Nadu). 

For the last 28 years, she has been teaching in JNU. 

The appointment, which is being considered a milestone by many, has the Hemant Soren government playing an instrumental in it. The appointment is getting a grand welcome on social media. Netizens believe that as Professor Minz hails from an underprivileged background, it will help in inspiring the students coming from poor backward community.