Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has approved the conferment of the title of Professor Emeritus on Amitabh Mattoo, Dean of its School of International Studies, recognising his academic contributions and long association with the institution.
The university's Executive Council cleared the proposal following a recommendation by Rajesh Rajagopalan, a professor at the School of International Studies. The distinction will take effect after Mattoo's voluntary retirement on February 28, 2027.
Mattoo, who became Dean of the School of International Studies in 2024, previously headed the Centre for International Politics, Organisation and Disarmament (CIPOD) at JNU. He is also a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jammu.
The decision gives Mattoo an honorary academic distinction that allows him to retain an association with the university after leaving regular service.
Speaking to the IB Times India, Mattoo said, "JNU is not its buildings or its offices but a conversation that goes on across generations, and one never really leaves a conversation that has shaped who one is. JNU taught me that ideas are not possessions but companions; they travel with you, argue with you and outlive you. To be made Professor Emeritus is to be told that one's voice still belongs in that conversation."
Reflecting on his academic ties with JNU, he said, "In our tradition the teacher never fully departs: the guru lives on in the questions the shishya keeps asking. If something of what I learnt and taught here goes on being argued over in JNU's classrooms and dhabas, that is the only permanence a scholar can hope for."
Amitabh Mattoo's Academic and Policy Career
Mattoo is a scholar of international relations, India's foreign policy, national security, peace and conflict studies. He holds a D.Phil. from the University of Oxford and completed his M.Phil. and master's degrees at JNU.
His academic career has extended beyond the university, including appointments and collaborations with international institutions. He was the founding director of the Australia India Institute at the University of Melbourne and previously served as an honorary professor of international relations at the university.
He also served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jammu and has been associated with several national policy and advisory bodies, including India's National Knowledge Commission and the National Security Council's advisory framework.
Mattoo received the Padma Shri for his contribution to education and public life. He has authored and edited several books and published research on international affairs, India's strategic interests and global security.
His work has also involved India-Pakistan engagement, including participation in Track II diplomatic initiatives that bring together non-governmental representatives to explore areas of cooperation.
What Is the Professor Emeritus Title?
Professor Emeritus is an honorary academic designation generally conferred on distinguished scholars who have made significant contributions to their universities and academic disciplines.
At JNU, the eligibility framework requires nominees to have served as professors at the university for at least 15 years and made significant contributions to its institutional development, their academic discipline or society.
Candidates are also expected to have national and international scholarly recognition.
JNU has 16 existing Professor Emeritus title-holders, including historians Romila Thapar and Zoya Hasan, economist Prabhat Patnaik and academic Asis Datta, according to the university's published list and the latest report.
Unlike a regular faculty appointment, the distinction recognises an academic's contribution and continuing intellectual association with the institution.
Mattoo's title will take effect only after his retirement in February 2027, separating the honorary recognition from his current administrative responsibilities as Dean of the School of International Studies.
Reaction from batchmates, peers
The decision drew warm reactions from Mattoo's classmates, several of whom congratulated him on social media. One described the university as fortunate to have an academic of his calibre on its faculty, writing: "The University is blessed to have Amitabh's calibre on the faculty."
Another classmate welcomed the decision but expressed surprise at the timing, saying: "Happy coz he will continue in JNU. Shocked coz it's too early to be conferred. He is still very young in age!!"
Other messages celebrated the recognition, with one describing it as "another feather in the cap" and another classmate and academic, Amiya Chandra, saying Mattoo deserved the honour, adding: "Dazzle the world with academic brilliance."
