Prof. Dr. Tejimala Gurung Nag Takes Over as Permanent Vice-Chancellor of Darjeeling Hills University

Prof. (Dr.) Tejimala Gurung Nag, newly appointed Vice-Chancellor (left), with Prof. (Dr.) Sujata Rani Rai, Registrar (right), at Darjeeling Hills University.

KalimNews, January 20, 2025, Kalimpong : Prof. Dr. Tejimala Gurung Nag has officially commenced her role as the first permanent Vice-Chancellor of Darjeeling Hills University as of Monday, January 20, 2025. The appointment was made by the Governor and Chancellor, C. B. Anand Bose, following a search committee process under the supervision of the Supreme Court.

Prof. Gurung Nag, a distinguished scholar, previously served as a professor of History at North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) in Shillong for over 32 years. She is a Life Member of several academic organizations, including the Indian History Congress (IHC), North-East India History Association (NEIHA), North-East India Political Science Association (NEIPSA), and the Indian Association for Women’s Studies (IAWS). She has authored three books, with her most renowned work, "The Making of Gurkhas as a 'Martial Race' in Colonial India: Theory and Practice," published by the Indian History Congress. Her research focuses on the modern history of India and Northeast India, with a particular emphasis on migration, diaspora studies, colonial modernity, and gender.

Throughout her academic career, Gurung has mentored numerous Ph.D. and M.Phil. candidates, contributed extensively to national and international journals, and led significant research projects on topics like Nepali migration and the role of American Baptist women missionaries in Northeast India. Her scholarly contributions to the history, culture, and society of Northeast India have earned her recognition both in India and abroad.

Gurung’s leadership is expected to bring a fresh perspective to Darjeeling Hills University, which has faced numerous challenges since its inception in 2020-21. With her profound understanding of the region’s historical, cultural, and social complexities, her appointment is seen as a positive step toward addressing the university’s long-standing issues and strengthening its academic and research contributions.

A formal welcome for the new Vice-Chancellor was held on Monday at the Mungpoo ITI campus, where staff, students, and faculty gathered to mark the occasion.  

With Prof. Gurung Nag assuming office, there is hope that the university’s various challenges will be addressed. The institution has faced several setbacks, including operating without a permanent Vice-Chancellor and a campus of its own. Currently functioning temporarily from Mungpoo ITI College, the university initially founded by the name Greenfield University has struggled with inadequate infrastructure, the inability to initiate classes, and the absence of permanent staff, officers, and teachers.

The university’s interim registrar, Sujata Rani Rai, expressed hope for positive changes under the new leadership and redressal of difficulties and issues one by one.

The lack of a permanent campus has compounded the university’s problems. While the government has allocated land at Jogighat for the construction of a new campus, only part of the boundary wall has been completed. Further work has stalled due to the absence of a Vice-Chancellor and permanent officials to oversee the progress.

The university’s admission process, which was halted last year due to the absence of a Vice-Chancellor, has now resumed. However, many prospective students have expressed reluctance to apply, given the ongoing challenges. Additionally, the university’s statute, although drafted and submitted to the Higher Education Department, has not yet been approved, preventing the implementation of essential administrative processes.

Prof. Gurung Nag’s leadership marks a turning point for Darjeeling Hills University, and there is growing optimism that the institution’s many challenges will finally be resolved.