Dr. Mrs. Uma Kannan

Dr. Uma Kannan, the President of Thiagarajar College, Madurai is an icon of academic leadership coupled with cultural research and community development. She was conferred with a Ph.D. in Socio-Cultural Anthropology (2008) with an academic background in Sociology and Psychology. She has also contributed her acumen in research on culture, heritage, crafts, and women’s empowerment. Her areas of expertise include natural dye application and textile design, design development and packaging, mentoring artisans and young professionals, research and publication, and curating cultural and heritage initiatives. She has contributed intensively to the development of rural craft communities and to the documentation and revitalization of traditional skills and sustainable livelihoods. She is also the Director of the UGC-recognized Women’s Studies Centre since 2010 and a Governing Council Member of Thiagarajar College of Engineering since 2009.

As an industrialist, she holds leadership positions in Thiagarajar Mills Private Limited, VTM Limited, and Colour Yarns Private Limited. As an accomplished author, she has published epoch making books titled Madurai Malligai – Madurai and its Jasmine: A Celebration (2012), Radha Thiagarajan – Remembered (2014), Thiagarajar College of Engineering – A Journey into the Founding Vision (2021), Thiagarajar College – Opening the Doors to Education (2023), and An Anchored Vision – Karumuttu T. Kannan (2024). Through her academic works, institutional leadership, and social initiatives, Dr. Uma Kannan remains as a golden image in the annals of education and culture.