Professor Anju Seth, an alumnus of IIM Calcutta, has a chance of becoming the first woman director of her alma mater.

Seth is currently professor of management at Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Tech. She was head of the department of management at Pamplin College from 2008 to 2013.

A search panel appointed by the board of governors of IIM Calcutta to find candidates for the post of director drew up a shortlist of three academicians that includes Seth.

The other two are professors Suresh Ramanathan of Mays School of Business at Texas A&M University and Jayant Kale, a member of the faculty at D’Amore-McKim School of Business, Northeastern University, Boston.

Sources said Seth was the frontrunner for the post.

Shekhar Chaudhury, a former director of IIM Calcutta, said that no woman had previously been at the helm of the oldest B-school in the country. If she gets the top job, Seth will be the third woman to be appointed director of any IIM.

Vinita Sahay and Neelu Rohmetra are the directors of IIM Bodhgaya and IIM Sirmaur respectively.