Chandigarh, July 31: Prof. Simrit Kahlon, a senior academic with over 29 years of experience in teaching, research, and university administration, has been appointed as the new Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of Panjab University, Chandigarh. Her appointment brings a wealth of institutional knowledge and a strong reputation for integrity and leadership to the office.
Currently serving as Professor at the Centre of Advanced Study in Geography, Prof. Kahlon has held several important administrative positions at Panjab University, including Dean Student Welfare (Women), Co-ordinator of the PU Institute of Social Science Education and Research (PU-ISSER), Chairperson of the Department of Geography, and Warden of Girls Hostel No. 7. In each of these roles, she has been recognized for introducing best practices and ensuring academic and administrative excellence.
Prof. Kahlon holds M.A., M.Phil., and Ph.D. degrees in Geography from Panjab University. Her scholarly work spans urban housing, cultural geography, mountain environments, and human–land relations. She has published more than 30 research papers in reputed national and international journals, including those with high impact factors. She has also successfully completed six multidisciplinary research projects, including an ICSSR-sponsored study on the Lahaul valley in Himachal Pradesh.
Her passion for national service and social awareness is reflected in her extensive writings on national security and the geopolitics of Jammu & Kashmir. Prof. Kahlon has authored over 160 articles on Defenceinfo.com, along with numerous contributions to platforms such as Indian Defence Review, News Bharati, News Intervention, and The Organiser. Notably, she has travelled extensively in conflict-prone areas of Kashmir to report ground realities and was commended by Lt. Gen. K.T. Parnaik, former Army Commander of the Northern Command, for her role in promoting a positive image of the Indian Army.
She also played a pivotal role in drafting the “Action Plan for Making Chandigarh a Safe and Violence-Free City for Women and Girls”, a community initiative launched by Sh. V.P. Singh Badnore, former Governor of Punjab and UT Administrator.
Prof. Kahlon has served as a subject expert for State Public Service Commissions and has contributed to academic bodies across the country, including membership in the Board of Studies at Guru Nanak Dev University, H.N. Bahuguna Garhwal University, Kurukshetra University, Central University of Haryana, and Panjab University itself. She is also a member of several academic committees at Panjab University, such as the Academic Council, Faculty of Arts, and Research Degree Committee of the Department of Defence and National Security Studies.
Known for her efforts to blend academic rigor with cultural sensitivity, Prof. Kahlon hails from a family with four generations of service in the Indian Army, which continues to shape her deep commitment to national pride, gender equity, and educational innovation.
Her appointment as Chief Vigilance Officer is seen as a step towards strengthening ethical governance and transparency at Panjab University.
