The higher education department has created a chair professor post at St Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK), in memory of Mother Teresa.

The post will be called The Mother Teresa Chair Professor for Peace.

The post was created following an announcement by chief minister Mamata Banerjee at the fourth convocation of the university on February 6, 2023.

The total grant approved by the government is ₹30 lakh per annum, said Father John Felix Raj, the university’s vice-chancellor.

Speaking on the significance of the post, the VC told The Telegraph: “The chair professor will carry out a lot of research on peace both at the national and international levels. Today we need peace, especially immediately, when there are divisions, hatred, violence in the name of religion, in the name of even political parties, in the name of castes and interest groups.”

“Peace is a human right. It is my right to be peaceful. This is one of the reasons why we have created this post of chair professor.”

VC Fr Felix Raj said the duration of the chair is initially one year and can be extended for one more year.

Any academic currently holding the post of professor in a university or higher education institution aged between 55 and 62 years may be nominated for the post.

“We have appointed a search committee comprising three experts — Basab Chaudhuri, former VC of West Bengal State University, Barasat; Mamata Ray, former vice-chairman of the West Bengal State Council of Higher Education; and Fr Lancy Lobo, professor emeritus of Indian Social Institute, New Delhi,” said the VC.

The expert committee met last week and decided to seek nominations.

Nominations can be forwarded by current and former VCs of universities, directors of research institutions or organisations and chair Eprofessors.

An advertisement in newspapers will appear next Sunday.

Nomination forms are available on the university website.

The last date for nominations is June 18.

The expert-cum-search committee will shortlist the eligible candidates and suggest five names to the VC who has the discretionary power to choose anyone from them.

“The post will be filled by July 2024,” Fr Felix Raj said.

The areas of expertise will cover social work, psychology, English literature, development economics, management, environment, sustainability and peace studies and other allied areas.

The chair professor will be attached to the university under the Father Lafont Centre for Excellence in Research and Innovation (LCERI).

“The chair professor may also be required to take some classes as and when required,” the vice-chancellor said.