Prof. Sulochana Shekhar, Senior Professor at the Central University of Tamil Nadu (CUTN), assumed charge as the Vice-Chancellor (In-charge) on 12 June 2026 who is exemplifying her extensive administrative acumen alongside her distinguished academic career. An accomplished scholar in Urban Geography and Geospatial Science, she combines exceptional research credentials with a proven record of institutional leadership and governance.

Prof. Sulochana has an outstanding academic background, having secured gold medals in both her Undergraduate and Postgraduate studies at Madurai Kamaraj University. Her research has received substantial support from premier funding agencies such as HUDCO, UGC, and DST. She has earned prestigious international fellowships, including the Erasmus Mundus Fellowship at The Netherlands, the Commonwealth Academic Fellowship at University College London (UCL), United Kingdom, the Endeavour Research Fellowship in Australia, and the Fulbright Fellowship in the United States of America, establishing her as an internationally recognized expert in spatial analysis and urban studies.

Her scholarly contributions include more than 75 research publications and three books, with significant work in cellular automata-based urban growth modelling, slum mapping, and urban green space extraction using geospatial technologies. Her academic career has encompassed teaching and research positions at the National Defence Academy, Pune, the University of Pune, the Central University of Karnataka, and the Central University of Tamil Nadu, where she has earned recognition as a dedicated educator and researcher.

At CUTN, Prof. Sulochana has held several key administrative positions, including Controller of Examinations, Registrar (In-charge), Director of the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC), and Presiding Officer of the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), Dean of School of Earth Sciences and Head of the Department of Geography at the Central University of Tamil Nadu. She has played a pivotal role in strengthening academic administration, institutional quality assurance, and governance mechanisms. She also serves as a NAAC Assessor, contributing to the quality enhancement of higher education institutions across the country.

As Vice-Chancellor (In-charge), while continuing to discharge her responsibilities as Controller of Examinations, Prof. Sulochana provides dynamic leadership to the University, drawing upon her rich experience in academic administration, institutional development, and international scholarship to further the University’s mission of excellence in teaching, research, and public service.