Prof. Kulbhushan Balooni takes up charge as new VC at Birla Global University

Prof. Kulbhushan Balooni has been appointed the Vice-Chancellor of Birla Global University of Bhubaneswar. Prof. Balooni provides unparalleled experience and skill in academic administration, research, and institutional brand creation.

He possesses an enormous amount of expertise from his leadership responsibilities at IIM Kozhikode, IIM Kashipur, and IIM Amritsar.

Prof. Balooni, a respected academician with over 25 years of experience at leading educational institutions, is well-known for his transdisciplinary research on environmental sustainability, development policy, and social entrepreneurship.

He was one of the founding faculty members at IIM Kozhikode, joining during the academic year 1997-1998, and played an important role in the institution's development.

From 2014 until 2018, he served as the Director (In-charge) at IIM Kozhikode, where he was key in directing the research and entrepreneurship programs. He played a vital role in establishing IIM Amritsar as its first mentor director.

Prof. Balooni served as a director at IIM Kashipur after a productive term from 2019 to 2024. In this role, he oversaw a variety of initiatives that boosted the institution's reputation, from entrepreneurship and innovation to research support and government directives.

He is also a LEAD (Leadership for Environment & Development) Fellow. Distinguished academic institutions such as the National University of Singapore, the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, Uppsala University in Sweden, and Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands have hosted him as a visiting scholar.

Smt. Jayashree Mohta, the Chairperson of the Birla Academy of Art & Culture, is in charge of Birla Global University and is well-known for her important contributions to higher education in India.

The institution is overseen by a Board of Governors, with the Honorable Governor of Odisha serving as Chancellor.