Indian women cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur's schedule pauses the JU honour
Telegraph | 2 December 2025
Jadavpur University will not hold its “special convocation” this year because India’s women’s cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who had been selected for an honorary DLitt, will not be available on December 24.
Harmanpreet’s squad had led India to a historic World Cup victory on November 2.
The decision was made at an online meeting of JU’s executive council on Monday, JU pro-vice chancellor Amitava Datta said.
“Harmanpeet will not be available on December 24. Consequently, we will not hold the special convocation this year. We will only conduct the annual convocation. The special convocation may be arranged later, contingent upon her availability,” VC Chiranjib Bhattacharjee said.
Monday’s meeting could not finalise the name of the convocation’s chief guest.
Bhattacharjee said that he has informed the members that G. Sitharam, the AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) secretary, will be the chief guest at the convocation.
The meeting was also inconclusive over the appointment of an acting registrar. The term of the acting registrar Indrajit Banerjee ended on November 30, said a JU official.
“A controversy is being generated regarding the appointment of the acting registrar. JU is likely to appoint a full-term registrar by January. The acting registrar’s appointment doesn’t require EC’s approval. I was appointed as JU acting registrar by the then vice-chancellor Suranjan Das,” said Bhattacharjee.
Late on Monday, Selim Box Mandal, the head of the Bengali department, was appointed the acting JU registrar.