- Former UoN Chancellor Dr. Vijoo Rattansi has passed away, remembered as a philanthropist and education champion.
- Tributes led by former Vice Chancellor Prof. Stephen Kiama praised her visionary leadership and dedication to expanding access to higher education.
The University of Nairobi (UoN) is mourning the death of its former Chancellor, Dr. Vijoo Rattansi, a celebrated educationist and philanthropist whose decades of generosity transformed access to higher education for thousands of Kenyan students.
In a statement issued on Thursday, July 30, former University of Nairobi Vice Chancellor Prof. Stephen Kiama led tributes to the late educationist and philanthropist, describing her as a passionate champion of higher education whose generosity transformed the lives of countless students.
Prof. Kiama said he received the news of her death with profound sadness, remembering Dr. Rattansi as a visionary leader whose dedication to education extended well beyond her official duties as Chancellor of the university.
According to Prof. Kiama, Dr. Rattansi’s support for numerous scholarship programmes enabled many young Kenyans to access higher education, opening doors for them to pursue their academic ambitions and build better futures for themselves and their families.
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Dr. Rattansi served as Chancellor of the University of Nairobi, a role in which she was widely celebrated for her philanthropy and steadfast commitment to advancing higher learning in Kenya. Her tenure at the helm of the institution spanned roughly a decade, during which she was closely involved in resource mobilisation, strategic partnerships and institutional development at the university.
Beyond her chancellorship, Dr. Rattansi was long associated with the Rattansi Educational Trust and other philanthropic causes supporting Kenyan students, work that saw her honoured with national recognition, including the Order of the Grand Warrior (OGW), as well as an honorary doctorate from Moi University in acknowledgment of her contribution to higher education.
By Frank Mugwe
