(NEWS) WMU and Government of India establish C.P. Srivastava Professorial Chair

October

2026

WMU and Government of India establish C.P. Srivastava Professorial Chair

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The World Maritime University (WMU) and the Government of India signed an agreement on 6 October, establishing the C.P. Srivastava Professorial Chair in Shipping and Port Management, strengthening cooperation in maritime education, research and capacity development.

The agreement was signed by WMU President, Professor Maximo Q. Mejia, Jr., and Shri Vijay Kumar, IAS, Secretary of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways for the Government of India.

The new Professorial Chair will support WMU’s academic and research activities in shipping, logistics and port management, with a focus on developing knowledge and expertise relevant to the evolving needs of the maritime sector. The Chair will contribute to postgraduate teaching and supervision, research, curriculum development and capacity development for port professionals.

The agreement also provides a framework for WMU and the Ministry to collaborate on research themes and strategic priorities, supporting knowledge transfer to India’s maritime sector. The Chair and WMU will further contribute to strengthening human resource development and the advancement of India’s ports, logistics and shipping sectors.

The establishment of the Chair reflects the shared commitment of WMU and the Government of India to advancing maritime expertise and supporting the development of skilled professionals and research capacity for India’s maritime sector and the wider global maritime community.

The Professorial Chair is named in honour of Dr. C.P. Srivastava, KCMG, IMO Secretary-General Emeritus and WMU Founding Chancellor Emeritus. Widely recognized as the founding father of WMU, Dr. Srivastava played a pivotal role in establishing the University in Malmö in 1983, securing the cooperation of the Swedish Government to realize his vision of a postgraduate university dedicated to educating the maritime leaders of the future.

In his remarks at the signing, President Mejia highlighted Dr. Srivastava’s enduring legacy and reiterated WMU’s commitment to advancing maritime expertise and strengthening capacity across the global maritime community. He said, “I believe there could be no more fitting way to honour the memory of C.P. Srivastava than to continue, in our own time, the work that he began.”

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