Governor Khan ousted, Kerala government appoints Mallika Sarabhai Chancellor of Kalamandalam University

Mallika Sarabhai has been appointed at Kalamandalam University as an 'eminent person in the field of art and culture'.

Published Dec 07, 2022 | 9:24 AMUpdated Dec 07, 2022 | 12:43 PM

Mallika Sarabhai Kalamandalam

The Kerala government on Tuesday, 6 December, appointed eminent dancer Mallika Sarabhai as the Chancellor of Kerala Kalamandalam Deemed to be University for Art and Culture.

An order issued by the Cultural Affairs Department said that she has been chosen for the top post as per a clause of the Memorandum of Association of the Kalamandalam which says that “the Chancellor shall be an eminent person in the field of art and culture appointed by the sponsoring body”.

State Cultural Affairs Minister VN Vasavan’s office later said in a statement that the LDF government believes that the appointment of Sarabhai as Chancellor would be highly beneficial for the institution.

Daughter of renowned dancer Mrinalini Sarabhai and space scientist Vikram Sarabhai, Mallika Sarabhai is a world renowned Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi performer, an official statement said.

Apart from being a dancer, she has also proved her abilities in the areas of theatre, film and television, and also established herself as a writer, publisher and director, it added.

Related: Governor Khan removed as Chancellor of Kalamandalam University

Sarabhai’s appointment comes weeks after the Pinarayi Vijayan government had amended the rules of the Kalamandalam to remove Governor Arif Mohammad Khan as its Chancellor.

The amendment was made amidst the government’s ongoing tussle with Khan over functioning of universities, including appointment of vice-chancellors, in the state.

The amended rules of the deemed university also stated that the governance system and management structure of the Kerala Kalamandalam shall be in accordance with the decisions of the state government.

Also Read: Opinion: An intellectual winter in Kerala

(Disclaimer: Only the headline, subheads, and intro of this report along with the photos may have been reworked by South First. The rest of the content is from a syndicated feed)

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