XLRI today announced the appointment of Fr. Antony R. Uvari, SJ as the new Director of XLRI Delhi–NCR, effective 1 July 2026. He replaces Fr Nelson A. D’Silva, SJ who will be moving on to take up a new role as the President of the Delhi Jesuit Society. An alumnus of XLRI, Jamshedpur, Fr. Uvari holds a postgraduate degree from the institute and a Ph. D. from the University of Madras. He brings more than eighteen years of senior academic, administrative, and leadership experience across premier management institutions in India.
As Director of XLRI Delhi–NCR, Fr. Uvari will focus on advancing academic excellence, strengthening industry relations and institutional partnerships, promoting interdisciplinary learning, and enhancing student development initiatives.
Fr Uvari’s academic career spans faculty and leadership roles in organizational behavior and human resource management. He served on the faculty at Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB) from 2004 to 2010 and at XLRI from 2010 to 2013 and again from 2016 to 2019, where he also held administrative positions including Dean of Administration, Associate Dean, Chairperson of Admissions, and Professor.
From October 2013, he served as the Associate Director of Xavier Institute of Management Bhubaneswar (XIMB), and concurrently as Registrar of XIM University, Bhubaneswar from December 2013 to 2016. He subsequently served as the Vice Chancellor of XIM University from 5 September 2019 to 4 September 2025, steering the institution through a period of growth and academic expansion. His international teaching experience includes visiting faculty appointments at Loyola University Maryland.
Fr Uvari’s scholarship focuses on leadership and personnel effectiveness, with current research examining the relationship between HR practices and organisational performance. He has published research papers in national and international journals, developed teaching case studies for classroom use, and designed and delivered numerous management development programmes for corporate and development-sector organisations on topics such as organisation building, human resource management, teamwork, and leadership development.
Speaking on his appointment, Fr Antony R. Uvari, SJ, said, “I accept this responsibility with deep gratitude and a profound sense of mission. Having journeyed with the XLRI community over the years, it is a privilege to now serve as Director at a time when the institution is poised for its next phase of growth. Our greatest strength has always been our people — our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and partners. Together, we will continue to build an institution that pursues academic excellence, nurtures ethical leadership, encourages innovation, and remains steadfast in its commitment to justice, service, and nation-building.”
Fr Uvari is also actively engaged with professional and academic bodies. He is a life member of NHRD and serves on the boards of several institutions, including IAJBS (International Association of Jesuit Business Schools), XLRI Jamshedpur, XISS (Ranchi), St. Xavier’s University (Kolkata), and LIBA (Chennai).
Commenting on the appointment, Fr. Alwyn Rodrigues, SJ, Dean (Admin & Finance), XLRI, said, “We are delighted to welcome Fr. Antony R. Uvari, SJ as the new Director of XLRI Delhi–NCR. His deep commitment towards academics, coupled with his rich leadership and administrative experience, will be invaluable as the campus continues to grow and contribute to XLRI’s vision of creating responsible and purpose-driven leaders for business and society. We also extend our sincere gratitude to Fr. Nelson A. D’Silva, SJ for his exemplary leadership and for contributing meaningfully towards the overall growth and advancement of Delhi–NCR campus.”
The appointment of Fr. Antony R. Uvari, SJ marks a new chapter in the evolution of XLRI Delhi–NCR, which was inaugurated in 2020 and has rapidly emerged as an important centre for management education in the National Capital Region. Building on the strong foundation and legacy of its Jamshedpur branch, the Delhi-NCR campus is poised to further strengthen its academic offerings, deepen industry engagement, and advance XLRI’s mission of nurturing responsible, values-driven leaders equipped to address the challenges of a rapidly changing world.
