Former IIM Kashipur director Kulbhushan Balooni appointed VC of Birla Global University

NEW DELHI: Birla Global University, Bhubaneswar, (BGU) has recently appointed its vice-chancellor, professor Kulbhushan Balooni, a distinguished academician with over 25 years of experience in education institutions. Professor Kulbhushan Balooni has knowledge and experience from his prior leadership roles at IIM Kozhikode, IIM Kashipur, and IIM Amritsar. Balooni has an unmatched experience and expertise in academic administration, research, and building institutional brands, the BGU statement said.

Kulbhushan Balooni is renowned for his transdisciplinary research on environmental sustainability, development policy, and social entrepreneurship. He was one of the founding faculty members to join IIM Kozhikode at its inception during the academic year 1997–1998, where he played a significant role in the institution building, the BGU statement added.

Balooni was appointed as director in charge of IIM Kozhikode from 2014-2018, where he played a crucial role in leading entrepreneurship and research activities. His assistance went even further since he was a key figure in nurturing IIM Amritsar as its first mentor director.

Following a tenure from 2019 to 2024, Balooni has also been the director at IIM Kashipu where he spearheaded numerous initiatives including – fostering innovation to promote entrepreneurship; research support; and handling government directives that boasted the institution’s reputation, adds official BGU statement.

Prof Balooni is also a LEAD (Leadership for Environment & Development) Fellow. He has been a visiting scholar at prestigious institutions, including the National University of Singapore, the University of Copenhagen, and Uppsala University, etc. All this global exposure and academic expertise position contributed to him to now lead Birla Global University into a new era of academic success, the BGU note read.

About Birla Global University

Birla Global University is led by Jayashree Mohta, chairperson of the Birla Academy of Art & Culture, and is highly recognized for her significant contributions to higher education in India. The university is governed by board members along with governor of Odisha serving as its chancellor. BGU aims to redefine quality education with state-of-the-art infrastructure, top-notch faculty, and a commitment to nurturing future-ready professionals.