As of April 2025, the principal of Lakshmibai College, University of Delhi, is Prof. (Dr.) Pratyush Vatsala. She has held this position since July 2015, bringing extensive academic and administrative experience to the role citeturn0search9.
Recently, Prof. Vatsala garnered attention for implementing a traditional cooling method in the college's classrooms. To combat the intense summer heat in Block C, she personally applied cow dung to the classroom walls, citing its historical use in rural India for temperature regulation and its eco-friendly properties citeturn0search16. This initiative was shared internally among faculty members but quickly spread to social media, sparking a mix of reactions.
While some praised the attempt to incorporate indigenous practices, others questioned its practicality in a modern educational setting. Student representatives expressed concerns, suggesting that resources might be better allocated to upgrading infrastructure with modern cooling systems like fans or air conditioners citeturn0search8.
In response to the discussions, Prof. Vatsala emphasized that the measure was part of ongoing efforts to enhance the teaching environment and was intended as a research-based experiment citeturn0search6.
For further information or to contact Prof. Vatsala, she can be reached via email at pvatsala@lb.du.ac.in citeturn0search4.