R. Thandavan, former Vice-Chancellor of University of Madras, passed away this morning after prolonged illness. He was 75.Prof. Thandavan joined the University of Madras (UoM) in 1987 as a Reader and the first Head of the Department of Anna Centre for Public Affairs.Before that, he taught history in Pachchaiyappa’s College for about a decade. After joining the UoM, he was elected as a member of the Syndicate for three terms, before retiring in 2010. He was appointed the Vice-Chancellor of the University between 2013 and 2016. He is survived by his wife and two sons. The funeral will be held at 10 a.m. on Sunday.EndsPublished - December 14, 2025 12:58 am IST