At slapgate centre: ABVP leader, Eco expert

Deepika Jha is the joint secretary of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) for the academic year 2025-26. Representing the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), she secured her position in the DUSU elections held on September 19 bagging 21,825 votes.

Hailing from Bihar, Deepika (22) completed her Bachelor’s degree from Lakshmibai College, Delhi University, and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Buddhist Studies at the Department of Buddhist Studies, Delhi University (DU).

Before her election, she served as a state executive member of the ABVP in Delhi, engaging in grassroots campaigning and mobilisation across DU colleges.

Deepika’s leadership is characterised by her advocacy of women’s safety, migrant students’ welfare and infrastructural improvements within Delhi University.

However, her tenure has been marked by controversy. On October 16, Deepika was involved in an incident at Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar College, where she allegedly slapped Prof Sujit Kumar inside the principal’s office, even in the presence of police personnel.

Prof Sujit Kumar, originally from Jharkhand, has been residing in Delhi since 1988. He is a highly accomplished academic with MCom, MPhil and PhD from the Delhi School of Economics, along with a PG diploma from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Delhi.

Prof Sujit Kumar has an extensive teaching career spanning 32 years. He also mentors students as a guide at the Delhi School of Economics. His areas of expertise include management, commerce, organisational behaviour and leadership studies.

A dedicated researcher, Prof Sujit Kumar has published 15 articles in international journals. Notably, he has also authored an article on the governance and leadership architecture under Lord Rama. The research piece was published in a Scopus-indexed journal.