Former UoN chancellor Vijoo Rattansi dies

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Dr. Vijoo Rattansi, the first woman to serve as chancellor of the University of Nairobi, has died.

Her successor, Prof. Patrick Verkooijen, confirmed her death on Thursday, July 30, describing her as a humble and committed leader whose legacy would inspire future generations.

"Her firm and transformative leadership laid a robust foundation for academic excellence and global engagement that we continue to build upon today," said Verkooijen.

"As her successor, I am deeply saddened by this monumental loss," he added.

Rattansi served as chancellor for 10 years, from 2013 to 2023, becoming the university's first female occupant of the office.

"Over her exemplary 10-year tenure from 2013 to 2023, she led this university with unmatched dedication, wisdom and grace," said Verkooijen.

According to Verkooijen, Rattansi went beyond the role of a steward, using scholarships and mentorship to open doors for financially disadvantaged students.

"Her unwavering commitment to expanding access to higher education opened doors for thousands of bright but financially disadvantaged students, fundamentally changing the trajectory of their lives through scholarships and mentorship," he said.

"The thousands of individuals whose lives she touched, whose dreams she financed and whose futures she secured bear living testimony to a life beautifully lived in service to humanity," Verkooijen noted.

Verkooijen also credited Rattansi's philanthropy beyond the university, through the Rattansi Educational Trust, the Daisy Eye Cancer Fund and other charitable organisations.

"Through her leadership at the Rattansi Educational Trust, the Daisy Eye Cancer Fund and various charitable organisations, she stood as a towering titan of philanthropy in Kenya," he added.

During her tenure, Rattansi presided over numerous graduation ceremonies, conferring degrees on tens of thousands of graduates now shaping Kenya, Africa and the world.

University Vice Chancellor Prof. Ayub Gitau credited Rattansi with steering the institution through the COVID-19 pandemic, overseeing a shift to virtual learning while academic standards were maintained.

Gitau said Kenya and the university had lost a distinguished education advocate and a compassionate champion of the less fortunate.

He observed that her warm smile and genuine care for people made her a cherished member of the university family.

"Her legacy of service, generosity and hope will forever remain woven into the story of the University of Nairobi. May her soul rest in eternal peace," said Gitau.