In a rather sombre piece of news, Prof. Venkateshwarlu Haripuram, the Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of Kerala, passed away in Hyderabad last Saturday morning. The demise of Prof. Haripuram, who was 63 at the time of his passing, has sent shock waves across the academic community. Before taking up the mantle as VC at the Central University of Kerala on August 14, 2020, he had served as the head of the Department of Commerce at Osmania University in Hyderabad.
Prof. Haripuram’s dedication towards fostering an academic environment that was inclusive, innovative, and successful was evident throughout his tenure. His efforts were instrumental in shaping the educational landscape at the Central University of Kerala.
The unfortunate turn of events began when Prof. Haripuram was found unconscious in his official residence on August 12. He was swiftly given cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and rushed to a nearby private hospital in Kanhangad. His condition necessitated his transfer to Aster MIMS in Kannur and he was later airlifted to Hyderabad for further medical attention. Despite the best efforts of the medical team, Prof. Haripuram sadly passed away due to non-responsiveness to treatment.
Before his appointment as the VC at the Central University of Kerala, Prof. Haripuram had a distinguished career spanning 30 years at Osmania University. In recognition of his invaluable service, he was conferred with the Best Teacher Award by the Andhra Pradesh government in 2010.
He is survived by his children, Haripuram Keerthana and Haripuram Gautham Bhargava, born to him and Sugunadevi Dasyam. The professor’s final rites will be conducted at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the GHMC Chandramati Aryan Smasana Vatika Cremation Ground in Tarnaka, Hyderabad. Prof. Baiju, the VC in charge, stated that the statutory officers of the Central University would be in attendance.
Born in the village of Vemulaghat in the erstwhile Medak district of Andhra Pradesh, Prof. Venkateshwarlu Haripuram, fondly known as HV, was a highly respected figure in academic circles. His contributions to the Central University of Kerala, particularly his efforts in resolving the student-administration disputes that had marred the previous administration, will be remembered. His untimely passing is indeed a great loss to the world of academia.
