Susan Elias was appointed on Tuesday as the first woman principal of St Stephen’s College, Delhi, since its establishment in 1881, according to an official notification. The appointment marks a historic milestone for the college, which is part of the University of Delhi.
The official notification read, “The Supreme Council of the college is pleased to announce that Prof Susan Elias will take charge as the XIV (14th) Principal of the College and as its first lady Principal, effective June 1, 2026.”
It was signed by Rt Revd Dr Paul Swarup, Bishop of Delhi and chairman of the college.
See the notification here:
Who is Prof Susan Elias?
According to Elias’s LinkedIn profile, she served as the pro vice chancellor (research) at Chandigarh University, situated in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, from January to May 2026.
Before that, she served as the director of research at Hindustan University between October 2024 and December 2025. She has also served in several roles at Vellore Institute of Technology, including professor and dean of the School of Electronics Engineering, professor and deputy director at the Centre for Advanced Data Science, and associate professor and head of the School of Electronics Engineering.
St Stephen’s College was founded on February 1, 1881, by the Cambridge Mission to Delhi in collaboration with the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, with Samuel Scott Allnutt serving as its founder and first principal.
According to the College’s website, it was established after the closure of Delhi College in 1879, and it initially operated from rented premises in Chandni Chowk before shifting to Kashmere Gate in 1891 and later to its present campus in the Delhi University enclave in 1941.
Here’s what the dean of academics said
Malay Neerav, dean of academics and head of the History department at St Stephen’s College, told PTI that the college already has a rich repository of history, and now it is set to have its first woman principal.
“A similar landmark event took place in 1906, when Susil Kumar Rudra became the first Indian to become principal of the college,” she said.
Neerav said, “Interestingly, Mahatma Gandhi used to stay at Rudra’s house, and the non-cooperation movement was conceived there as well.”
According to professors and officials at the college, who wish to remain anonymous, the principal’s post has officially been vacant since March 1, 2026, after the 13th principal, John Varghese, completed his term in February.
“There have been long-standing administrative issues between the university and the college. While the post was technically empty for three months, Varghese continued to act as the principal, leading to more disputes about some appointments,” another official said.
(With inputs from agencies)
Key Takeaways
- Prof. Susan Elias’s appointment signifies a breakthrough in gender representation within academic leadership.
- St. Stephen’s College, founded in 1881, now embraces a new chapter in its history with this historic appointment.
- The transition in leadership comes amidst ongoing administrative challenges between the university and the college.
