PATNA: Computer scientist Vijay P Bhatkar , who led the development of India's first supercomputer , Param, after the US refused to sell supercomputers to India, will be the new chancellor of Nalanda University (NU). Bhatkar is the national president of Vigyan Bharati , a science body of the RSS.Bhatkar was appointed by President Pranab Mukherjee in his capacity as the NU visitor on Friday, six weeks after former Singapore minister George Yeo quit as NU chancellor. He was also a member of the IT Task Force constituted by the then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1998. The university, backed by 17 countries, was inaugurated by Swaraj in 2014.The number of students has increased from 12 in the first batch (2014-16) to 130 from 13 different countries. Classes are held at a makeshift campus, while a sprawling campus is being developed near the ruins of the ancient Nalanda Mahavihara.

Source: Times of India January 28, 2017 00:28 UTC