Months after resignation, Y S Rao continues as ICHR chairman

New Delhi, March 27

Nearly four months after he put in his papers, Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) chief Y. Sudershan Rao continues to head the organisation as the Human Resource Ministry is yet to take decision.

He will preside over a lecture on the organisation’s foundation day on Tuesday. When contacted, Rao said that since he had not heard from the ministry regarding his resignation, so he is continuing to discharge his duties.

Rao added that he will also hold a meeting in addition to the lecture on March 29 as part of his duties.

Only 16 months into his tenure, Yellapragada Sudershan Rao had resigned from the post in November last year citing “personal reasons”. However, Smriti Irani led ministry has not yet accepted his resignation.

According to the ICHR website, eminent historian Satish Chandra Mittal will deliver the ICHR Foundation Day lecture on March 29 which will be presided over by Rao.

While there were reports that Rao was unhappy after the ministry turned down a proposal to grant him a honorarium of Rs 1.5 lakh, Rao had only said that he had put in his papers and was awaiting the ministry’s response.

Rao, who retired from Kakatiya University Department, had been appointed for a term of three years.

The appointment of Rao, who is learnt to be a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Yojana which is affiliated to the RSS, had also been a controversial one and attracted criticism from other historians like Romila Thapar who had expressed surprise while questioning his academic credentials. — PTI