TN Govt removes Vice-Chancellor University of Madras

Chennai, Aug 30 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu government today removed Mr S P Thyagarajan, Vice-Chancellor, University of Madras, amid raging controversy over the collection of funds for renovation of the Senate House of the university.

Dr S Ramachandran, Professor and Director, Centre for Research, Institute for Ocean Management, Anna University has been appointed as the new Vice-Chancellor.

Tamil Nadu Governor and Chancellor of University S S Barnala has appointed Dr Ramachandran for a period of three years from the date of his assumption of office, a Raj Bhavan release here said.

The removal of Mr Thyagarajan, whose term was to end in mid-september, has come at a time when President A P J Abdul Kalam is scheduled to inaugurate the historic heritage building, coinciding with the inauguration of 150th year celebrations of the University to be held on September four.

For the renovation of the building, Mr Thyagarajan had formed a ''Senate House Trust'' and believed to have collected an estimated Rs six crore from entrepreneurs, University Alumni and Philanthropists.

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