Andalib Akhter /NEW DELHI
Renowned economist Dr. Abusaleh Shariff and leading Biomedical research scientist Dr Shahid Jameel have emerged as the contenders for the post of Vice Chancellor at the prestigious Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). The university’s highest decision making body AMU Court will meet on Saturday to elect three names from the five names proposed by the Executive Committee.
The university has shortlisted five names from a list of 30 eminent people whose bio data were screened for the top post. Among them, according to sources, Dr. Abusaleh Shariff and Dr Shahid Jameel have emerged as the most valued having high credentials and international acclaim.
Vice Chancellor Zameeruddin Shah is due to retire in May this year.
While Dr. Abusaleh Shariff is a famous economist and social scientist, Dr Shahid Jameel has pioneered some outstanding research on human virus and established the Virology Group at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) in New Delhi.
Dr. Jameel is an elected member of all science academies of India – the Indian National Science Academy (INSA, New Delhi), Indian Academy of Sciences (IASc, Bangalore) and National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI, Allahabad). His research work has also been recognized with various awards, which include the BM Birla Science Prize in Biology (1995) and the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in Medical Sciences (2000), the latter being India’s highest mid-career award for scientific research. He also belongs to an elite group of scientists in India whose research was supported by international agencies such as The Wellcome Trust (UK) and National Institutes of Health (USA). In 1988 Dr. Jameel established the Virology Group at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi, India and headed it for the next 25 years. During this time he carried out research on human viruses and trained numerous PhD students, postdoctoral fellows and undergraduate students. In 2013 Dr. Jameel was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance.
Dr. Abusaleh Shariff needs no introduction. He is the Chief Scholar at the US-India Policy Institute, Washington D.C, USA. He is an economist and demographer, works on various aspect of human development and inclusive growth He was a Senior Fellow/Chief Economist with the National Council of Applied Economic Research, New Delhi between 1994 and 2012. He was on the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India ‘Committee for the Consultations on the Situation in Andhra Pradesh’ during 2010. He was on sabbatical / lien appointment as a Senior Research Fellow with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) from March 2008 to March 2010. His research focus at IFPRI is in the areas of food and nutrition security, social safety nets with a special focus on rural and agrarian communities in Asia; labor markets and income diversity. He was member-secretary of the now well know PM’s High Level Committee report on Muslims in India, also known as Sachar Committee Report.
The other contenders for the post are Prof. Tariq Mansoor, Principal of JNMC, Aligarh, Prof. Javaid Akhtar, Registrar, AMU and Prof. Mazahir Kidwai, vice chancellor of IIMT, Meerut.