By Matters India Reporter
New Delhi, May 12, 2026: St Stephen’s College, one of India’s most prestigious institutions, today appointed Professor Susan Elias as its 14th principal, making it the first time that a woman will lead the 145-year-old college.
An official notice signed by Church of North India Bishop Paul Swarup of Delhi and chairman of the college, said Elias will assume office on June 1.
“The Supreme Council of the College is pleased to announce that Prof Susan Elias will take charge as the XIV Principal of the College and as its first lady Principal with effect from the 1st of June 2026,” the statement read.
The appointment carries historic significance for St Stephen’s College, affiliated with Delhi University. The college functioned as an all male college from 1950 until 1975, when it became fully co educational.
Women were at first admitted in its earliest years but it remained closed to female students for a quarter century before reopening its doors to them.
Milestone echoes Indian principal’s appointment in 1906
Malay Neerav, dean of academics and head of the History department, told The Tribune that the college’s long history is now enriched by 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, noting that Mahatma Gandhi stayed at Rudra’s home, where the non cooperation movement was conceived.
Founded in 1881 by the Cambridge Mission to Delhi in collaboration with the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, St Stephen’s College has produced generations of leaders across politics, law and literature.
Its alumni include former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, author Amitav Ghosh, parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor and economist Montek Singh Ahluwalia.
The principal’s post has been vacant since 1 March 2026, following the completion of John Varghese’s term. Faculty members told The Tribune that Varghese continued to act as principal during the interim and that this reportedly led to disputes over appointments.
Continuity and change
Elias, an alumna of IIT Madras, brings more than three decades of academic and administrative experience. Most recently, she served as Pro Vice Chancellor (research) at Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh.
Her career also includes senior roles at Hindustan University and Vellore Institute of Technology, where she was Dean of the School of Electronics Engineering and Deputy Director at the Centre for Advanced Data Science.
The college, which began in rented premises in Chandni Chowk before moving to Kashmere Gate in 1891 and later to its current campus in 1941, now enters a new chapter under Elias’s leadership.
Professors and students say her appointment represents both continuity and change for an institution deeply rooted in tradition yet adapting to modern academic life.
(Photo courtesy of St Stephen’s College)