Dr. Sunil Rai

Dr. Sunil Rai is the Vice Chancellor of UPES and a distinguished academic leader with over four decades of experience spanning academia, defence, and the corporate sector. His professional journey includes 25 years in academics, 21 years in the Indian Navy, and leadership exposure in the corporate domain.

Prior to joining UPES, Dr. Rai served as the Vice Chancellor of MIT Arts, Design & Technology University, Pune, and as a Director on the Board of the Maharashtra Information Technology Corporation, Government of Maharashtra.

Widely recognised for driving institutional transformation, Dr. Rai has held senior leadership roles including President, Vice Chancellor, Pro Vice Chancellor, Director, Dean, and Chairperson. Across these roles, he has played a key role in shaping universities into strong, credible brands through process-driven governance, faculty development, and accreditation-led growth.

A defence veteran, Dr. Rai was a commissioned officer in the Indian Navy for 21 years, where he managed ships and technical establishments in various capacities. His service includes assignments on INS Vikrant, Nilgiri, Himgiri, and the oil tanker Shakti, experiences that continue to influence his structured and resilient leadership approach.

Dr. Rai holds a PhD in Business Continuity Management from BITS Pilani, an MTech in Computer Science & Engineering from IIT Mumbai, and an MBA in Human Resources from IGNOU. He also holds a Master’s degree in Marine Engineering from the Naval College of Engineering, INS Shivaji (Lonavla), and a BSc (Hons) degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

His professional journey reflects a rare blend of management, engineering, and the performing arts. His research interests focus on technology-enabled, people-driven change management and organisational development.

Dr. Rai is a member of the Board of Advisors for Outreach Programs at Virginia Polytechnic University, USA, and is the co-founder of Cambridge Global Partners, Edinburgh, a strategic consulting firm working with academic and industrial organisations worldwide.

A respected thought leader and compelling public speaker, Dr. Rai has published extensively on Business Continuity and Higher Education and regularly contributes to management magazines and education columns. He has addressed numerous national and international forums and is widely acknowledged for his clarity of thought and engaging oratory.