Talat Ahmad

Doctor Talat Ahmad FNA FASc FNASc
14th Chairman of Governing body of Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 November 2021
Preceded by	Prof.Ashok Sahni
20th Vice-chancellor of University of Kashmir
In office 6 August 2018 – 20 May 2022
Chancellor	G. C. Murmu Manoj Sinha
Preceded by	Khurshid Iqbal Andrabi
Succeeded by	Nilofer Khan[1]
14th Vice-chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia
In office 15 May 2014 – 6 August 2018
Chancellor	Najma Heptulla
Preceded by	Najeeb Jung
Succeeded by	Najma Akhtar[2]
18th Vice-chancellor of University of Kashmir
In office 1 June 2011 – 14 May 2014
Preceded by	Professor Riyaz Punjabi
Succeeded by	Khurshid Iqbal Andrabi
Personal details
Born	(1955-12-23) 23 December 1955 (age 68) Giridih, Bihar, India (present-day Jharkhand, India)
Spouse	Nasrin Sedghi
Children	3
Residence(s)	Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
Alma mater	Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi Aligarh Muslim University
Profession	Geologist

Talat Ahmad (born 23 December 1955) is an Indian Earth Scientist, former Professor at the Department of Geology, University of Delhi and served as Indian National Science Academy (INSA) Senior Scientist.^[3] He served as Chairman of Governing body which oversees Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun from 1 November 2021 (full charge from 1 June 2022) onwards and served the office till 31 October 2027.^[4] Previously, he commenced his second stint as Vice-Chancellor of University of Kashmir on 6 August 2018 and served the office till 20 May 2022.^[5] Before that, he served as Vice chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia, he resigned from the post a few months short of his full term.^[6] He was shortlisted by a committee constituted by the governor to shortlist a panel for the post.^[7] He had earlier taken over as Vice-Chancellor of University of Kashmir from Professor Riyaz Punjabi on 1 June 2011 and served there until 2014.^[8] Prior to this, he was teaching Geology at the University of Delhi.^[9]

Ahmad was selected to serve a second term as Vice Chancellor University of Kashmir after he was selected by Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Narinder Nath Vohra in his capacity as Chancellor of the State University.^[10] He was handed over charge by Professor Khurshid Iqbal Andrabi who had been serving as officiating Vice-Chancellor since October 2017 after his tenure was over.

During his first tenure, Ahmad was recommended for the position of Vice-Chancellor, University of Kashmir by a search committee headed by a former member of the Planning Commission, Prof. Abid Hussain, former Indian ambassador to the US, and comprising Professor G. K. Chadha, CEO, South Asian University and former Vice-Chancellor, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and Prof. Seyed E. Hasnain, an eminent scientist and former Vice-Chancellor of University of Hyderabad.^[11]

Ahmad is the first Vice Chancellor to serve a second term and the second Vice Chancellor to be appointed from outside the state of Jammu and Kashmir in the past two decades. Jalees Ahmad Khan Tareen was the first Vice-Chancellor from outside the state who ran the office from 2001 to 2004.^[12]