Delhi’s St Stephen’s College on Tuesday appointed Professor Susan Elias as its 14th principal, making her the first woman to head the institution in its more than 145-year history.
The appointment will be effective from June 1, 2026, according to an official notice issued by the college on Tuesday.
“The Supreme Council of the College is pleased to announce that Prof Susan Elias will take charge as the XIV Principal of the College and as its first lady Principal with effect from the 1st of June 2026,” the notice said.
It was signed by Rt Revd Dr Paul Swarup, Bishop of Delhi and chairman of the college.
The principal’s post at the college remained vacant for a prolonged period following administrative and legal processes related to appointments at the institution.
Prof Elias has an academic and administrative background spanning over three decades, primarily in engineering and research institutions in south India.
According to details available on her professional profile, she recently served as pro vice chancellor (research) at Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh from January to May 2026.
Before that, she was director (research) at Hindustan University between October 2024 and December 2025. She also held multiple positions at Vellore Institute of Technology, including professor and dean of the School of Electronics Engineering, professor and deputy director at the Centre for Advanced Data Science, and associate professor and head of department in electronics engineering.
Founded in 1881, St Stephen’s College is among Delhi University’s oldest constituent colleges.
