MNLU Nagpur appoints Prof Jyoti Bhakare as Vice-Chancellor

Professor (Dr) Jyoti Bhakare has been appointed Vice-Chancellor of Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), Nagpur for a five-year term. She succeeds Professor (Dr) Vijender Kumar, the university's founding Vice-Chancellor.

The appointment was made by MNLU Nagpur Chancellor Justice Atul S Chandurkar, according to a notification published by MNLU Nagpur Registrar Deepak L Bhagwat on September 18.

Bhakare is currently a Senior Professor of Law at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) and has been associated with university's law faculty since 2009. She has served as Director of the SPPU Law School since January 2022. She also served as Head of the Department of Law at SPPU from 2019 to 2023. From August 2024 to January 2026, she served as the university's Officiating Registrar.

Before joining SPPU, Bhakare served as Officiating Principal at DES Law College, Pune, from 2004 to 2009. She also served as Officiating Principal of Modern Law College, Pune, from 2003 to 2004. Bhakare holds an LLB and an LLM from Shivaji University, Kolhapur.

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Vijender Kumar completes two terms

Bhakare's appointment follows the completion of two terms by Prof (Dr) Vijender Kumar as the Founder Vice-Chancellor of MNLU Nagpur. In a post on LinkedIn, Kumar said he served as the university's Founder Vice-Chancellor from June 1, 2016 to August 31, 2026.

Reflecting on his tenure, Kumar said that when he assumed office in 2016, MNLU Nagpur “existed as an idea”. He credited the university's development to the collective and sustained efforts of its community, including statutory bodies, the Maharashtra government, faculty and administrative staff, donors and students.

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Expressing gratitude to the university's stakeholders, he shared that he was proud of what MNLU Nagpur community had built during his tenure. “As I demit office, I do so with immense pride in what this community has built together, and with full confidence in the road ahead for MNLU Nagpur,” Kumar said.

He also extended his best wishes to MNLU Nagpur and said he remained committed to legal and justice education. After Kumar completed his tenure, Professor (Dr) VP Tiwari assumed charge as Acting Vice-Chancellor of MNLU Nagpur.