Creating a common platform for all NGOs and women’s organisations, facilitating academia - industry partnership and vocational education, lending support to clean and green Mumbai, are on top of the agenda for Dr. Indu Shahani, Principal of H.R. College of Commerce & Economics and the city’s brand new sheriff. Governor S.M. Krishna administered the oath of office to Dr. Shahani at a ceremony held in Raj Bhavan on Saturday, January 5, 2008, in the presence of Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. In addition to ministers, bureaucrats and corporates who attended the function; there were a host of principals from various colleges as well as students and teachers from HR College.

Dr. Shahani, whose expertise lies in academia, hopes to use her position to upgrade teaching standards across the city. “I want to encourage more interaction between industry and academics. I want industries to adopt the colleges situated close to them and provide them with training, guest lecturers as well as faculty - enhancement programs,” says Dr.Shahani.

The Students’ Council at HR College presented Dr. Shahani with a “wishlist’’ for 2008, which includes the setting up of free-of-cost kiosks for citizens with easily-accessible legal information and welfare of stray dogs.