About Yourself: Professor Uma Kanjilal assumed charge as Vice-Chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) on July 25, 2025, after serving as Acting Vice-Chancellor from July 2024 to July 2025. With over 36 years of experience in the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) system, she has held several key leadership positions at IGNOU, including Pro Vice-Chancellor, Director of the Centre for Online Education, IUC-TEFED, ACIIL, the School of Social Sciences, and as University Librarian. A Fulbright Scholar at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (1999–2000), Prof. Kanjilal specialized in multimedia and web-based courseware development. She has undertaken international assignments with the Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia, UNRWA (Jordan), and the Commonwealth of Learning (Canada). Nationally, she serves as the National Coordinator for SWAYAM and SWAYAM PRABHA—flagship initiatives of the Ministry of Education—and leads IGNOU’s Project Management Unit under NMEICT Phase-III. Prof. Kanjilal has been recognized with several prestigious awards and fellowships, including Manthan Award for e-Education, Australia-India Council Grant, DANIDA Fellowship, and DELNET’s Best Lending Library Award. She has actively contributed to numerous national committees and advisory boards under the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Culture. Her major research initiatives span digital libraries, multimedia courseware, and ICT-based education, including projects such as Sakshat, NMEICT, and the National Virtual Library of India. With over 50 publications comprising books, chapters, research papers, and policy documents, Prof. Kanjilal’s expertise in e-learning and digital library technologies has been instrumental in advancing India’s digital education and open learning landscape.