K. Kunhikrishnan

Biography

"Kallidil Kunhikrishnan (Born in 1949 at Payyanur, Kannur District, Kerala) had his early education at Payyanur and higher education at Z G. College, Calicut, Union Christian College, Aluva, Department of Psychology, University of Kerala, Trivandrum and University of Exeter, England. A first rank holder for B.A. Degree examination, University of Kerala and recipient of H.H. Marthandravarma Raja Prize of the University of Kerala for the most outstanding B.A. Student, he had secured record marks with distinction. He was also selected for the K Jacob Prize for the most outstanding student of Union Christian College, Aluva. He was a first rank holder with first class and record marks for M.A. Degree, University of Kerala, Trivandrum. He had been awarded the national merit scholarship of Government of India during the period. His first research paper was also published while he was a degree student. After his Post graduation, he took up the position of lecturer in Psycholo gy, Union Christian College, Aluva in 1973, after serving as Research Assistant for a brief period with Dr. V.K. Alexander, Emiritus Professor of Psychology and associated with the development of a verbal scale to measure intelligence of school children. While he was lecturer in Psychology he had also acted as the consulting Psychologist to Federal bank and developed five psychological tests for selection and recruitment of bank personnel. He joined the department of psychology, University of Calicut, as a lecturer and taught post graduate students in psychology and management students in the University. He has also supervised research works and more than thirty post graduate students did their research project work under his supervision. He has extensively published several research papers in national journal and also had published more than hundred popular articles on psychological topics. He has more than twenty standard research publications to his credit. While serving as a lecturer in the University of Calicut, he was selected for the prestigious World Health Organisation research training grant to undergo higher studies in U.K. He was the only candidate selected for the award from India in that year and while studying in U.K. he had visited several prestigious Universities in U.K and France. After returning from U.K., he has served as faculty member in the department of psychology and as Reader and Head of the Department of psychology, University of Calicut also made substantial contribution. He has served as the editor of ‘PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDIES’ the most reputed journal in psychological research published from India. He has developed psychological tools which are extensively used in psychological research not only in India but also abroad. He served as member of Board of Studies in psychology, sociology and as member of faculty of science, faculty of humanities and faculty of education. He was the Chairman, Board of Studies in Psychology, University of Calicut and Kannur University and member of Board of Examinations in several Universities for M.A. M Phil and Ph. D ( Bangalore, Dharwad, Gulberga, Hyderabad, Kerala, CUSAT, Coimbatore, Madras etc.) He has attended and presented papers in more than fifty national and international conferences and seminars. He has been a member of the academic council of the University of Calicut for more than twenty five years. He was elected to the Senate and Syndicate from the University teachers’ constituency and served as a member of the University Syndicate and Senate for more than 10 years both as an elected representative and also as the nominated member by the Chancellor. He has organised five UGC refresher courses in psychology and also had organised and conducted seven national workshops and seminars with assistance from external agencies like U.G.C. and D.E.C. Prof. K. Kunhikrishnan is also associated with the Indira Gandhi National Open University as a national resource person and organised four national workshops and seminars apart from national TOT workshops for IGNOU in the University of Calicut. He was a member of the academic council of IGNOU. He has also served as an expert member in several selection committees including the UPSC and other national bodies. He had assignments with the PSCs’ and national selection board like NIBM, IBPS etc. He has also participated in more than twenty national workshops and seminars on educational management, and also chaired more than 20 sessions in different seminars all over the country. Prof. K. Kunhikrishnan has organised several workshops on psychological topics for managers and contributed extensively to the field of educational management. He has delivered special lectures on educational management in several workshops and refresher courses in several universities in India. He has also served as a visiting faculty to reputed management institues like National Institute of Technology Calicut, IMT Nagpur, and BIM Pune. Prof. K. Kunhikrishnan is well known for his significant contribution and rich experience and knowledge in the field of higher education and also in that capacity served as member of several Governmental Committees like Kerala State Committee for Science and Technology, Committee on Open Learning and Open Universities, Committee on Higher Education, Committee to Review Curriculum Development etc. He has served as Secretary and Vice President of Indian Distance Education Association (IDEA), President of the Kerala Manasastra Parishad etc. and is a member of several national and international associations. Prof. K. Kunhikrishnan was appointed as Director, School of Distance Education, University of Calicut in 1993 and served as the Director` for ten years. He has developed several innovative programmes for the SDE which now extends higher education facilities for more than twenty five thousand students by offering more than twenty programmes at post graduate and under graduate level. Prof. K. Kunhikrishnan was appointed as the Pro Vice- Chancellor, Kannur University by the Governor of Kerala in May 2005. He served as the Pro Vice Chancellor of the University till May 2009 and was instrumental in the growth of the University through adding new departments, focusing on research, and regional development. He was appointed as a consultant for NAAC Bangalore and supported development of new methodologies and best practices for accreditation. He also developed a tool for self assessment by institutions and this was made available online by NAAC. Currently he is acting as Chairperson of NAAC peer teams and has visited more than 100 colleges, universities, and other institutes of higher learning as part of accreditation. He is invited as a resource person for seminars on institution building and quality management from across the country. Prof. K. Kunhikrishnan is actively associated with social and cultural activities and he is well known in the academic and cultural circles. He lives at Tenhipalam near Calicut University Campus and his family consists of his wife Mrs. Syamala and two sons Sandeep and Sudeep. Sandeep works as an HR Director after completing his Fellow Programme from IIM Ahmedabad and Sudeep is currently working as an Analytics Engagement Manager after his Fellow Programme at IIM Ahmedabad."

Research Interest

Behavioural Sciences