Anant Ambani appointed professor of sustainability at Newcastle

educationSep 24, 202620393

Newcastle University has appointed Anant Ambani, son of Mukesh Ambani, to a professorship of practice in sustainability, citing "his work in conservation, biodiversity protection, animal welfare and environmental stewardship" and "significant contributions to advancing a more sustainable future." Ambani, 31, sits on Reliance Group’s executive board leading on renewable energy and is the heir to India’s richest person Mukesh Ambani, whose Reliance empire is built primarily in oil and gas and has close ties to the ruling Bharatiya Janata party; Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended Anant Ambani’s 2024 wedding. Ambani founded Vantara, a 1,400-hectare private zoo near Reliance’s Gujarat refining complex that reportedly holds more than 150,000 animals, including about 200 lions, 250 leopards and 900 crocodiles, and has drawn conservation questions over how some animals were sourced; Vantara has not been found guilty of wrongdoing. The appointment drew immediate derision and protest from academics and conservationists. Ramachandra Guha called the choice "mystifying" and said he could name dozens of individuals more qualified for the honour and warned the decision was likely to harm the university’s credibility. Bhuvan Mangalore, an investigator into illegal wildlife trade completing a dissertation on Vantara, asked "Is this a joke?" University and union staff raised objections, and scholars such as Lyla Mehta warned that declining public funding risks letting billionaire and corporate money shape academic agendas.

Prof Bill McGuire

@profbillmcguire.bsky.social

This says everything about the capitalist corporations that used to be British universities. Just obscene www.theguardian.com/education/20...

9116d ago

Quoting this

Priyamvada Gopal9

It says everything about the absolute sycophantic rubbish that are given big bucks to 'manage' universities.

Marie 📎3

Om vi vill förändra tidsandan, får vi kämpa på!! 💪💚🌍 För så här ser det ut. 👇

HappyToast

@happytoast.co.uk

I imagine the title "Newcastle University Professor of sustainability" will start appearing in all sorts of climate change/fossil fuel approval documents.

7116d ago

Robert Ramsay3

At first glance, I honestly thought that was Russell Brand.

Dr Negrin's Victory Pills1

What size of bung is Newcastle Poly getting?

Natalie Bennett

@nataliegreenpeer.bsky.social

“Universities are supposed to be places that question power and hold corporations to account." Yes - really @newcastleuni.bsky.social?! www.theguardian.com/education/20...

7016d ago

me with ME 🇬🇧 📷 🍂 ❤️☮️ 🇺🇦🇪🇺🇨🇦2

Things have always been a bit stupid in the 53 years I’ve been on this planet, but we really seem to have gone right off the cliff now. IF the human race survives long enough to mature into a sensible society I wonder what this age will be called? The Stupid Age? The Age of Arrogance?

matkrassus.bsky.social2

God Russel Brand has changed

Quoting this

New School of the Anthropocene5

Come all ye oligarchs, bureaucrats and psychologists of money: the academic fire sale is now on and morality-free. While stocks last.

rhonda611.bsky.social2

Oh well at least it is not owned by Saudi head choppers. He only kills people indirectly via climate change.

Yung En Chee

@yungenchee.bsky.social

Incidentally, the private sector-owned Jamnagar oil refinery Minister Bowen will visit is owned by India's richest man, Mukesh Ambani, Anant Ambani's father Perhaps he'll also visit Anant's private mega-zoo chock-full of exotic & endangered animals (& a suspected major animal trafficking hub)

1715d ago

Royce Kurmelovs

@roycerk2.bsky.social

"Newcastle University is facing a backlash from conservationists over the appointment of the heir to an Indian oil and gas fortune who runs a controversial mega-zoo as a professor of sustainability."

2616d ago

Royce Kurmelovs9

"Bhuvan Mangalore, an Indian illegal wildlife trade investigator who is completing a dissertation on Vantara at Anglia Ruskin University, asked: “Is this a joke?”"

Lauren Dobson-Hughes

@ldobsonhughes.bsky.social

For less than whatever PR company is charging to advise Newcastle University, I will advise them not to do this On the plus side, a delightfully bonkers move and an excuse to show pictures of That Wedding again www.theguardian.com/education/20...

2015d ago

Môr Leidr

@bartiddu.bsky.social

Presumably by sustainability they mean the sustainability of Newcastle University?

2516d ago

Carsten Timmermann

@ctimmermann.bsky.social

You couldn't make it up. To say it with Mrs Merton: one wonders what first attracted Newcastle University to the billionaire Anant Ambani. www.theguardian.com/education/20...

1016d ago

Vivek Nityananda

@viveknityananda.bsky.social

My friends and family are literally laughing about this decision. What were the leadership thinking? It's just embarrassing. www.theguardian.com/education/20...

915d ago

Daniel Sugarman

@danielsugarman.bsky.social

To be fair, this makes a lot more sense when you realise the "sustainability" that Newcastle University is really interested in is their own.

1016d ago

Dr Anathpindika S.V.

@anathpindika.bsky.social

Anant Ambani, son of an oil baron in #India has been appointed a Professor of sustainability by Newcastle university in the UK! Besides being a son of an oil baron, does he have any other qualification to deserve this appointment? www.theguardian.com/education/20...

415d ago

Owen Davies

@odavies9.bsky.social

Ah yes, the "professorship of practice"! This is how professorships have been devalued as a historic title of research contribution. Anyone can now be awarded a Professorship of Practice if they are rich enough or served enough time in management/business. www.theguardian.com/education/20...

715d ago

Chris

@oakymoron.bsky.social

What on earth are they thinking about Wonder how much money was given to them….. www.theguardian.com/education/20...

516d ago

Second slip🏏1

They're thinking about the money. Money.

JazHowe1968

@jazhowe1968.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/education/20... Isn't this like making the CEO of a tobacco company the head of respiratory for the NHS?

415d ago

Beth DeBold

@elizaaudacis.bsky.social

It’s actually shocking that @newcastleuni.bsky.social would try to dress up granting academic legitimacy in exchange for what is doubtless an enormous financial kickback as a recognition of this politically corrupt oligarch’s “contributions” to “conservation.” www.theguardian.com/education/20...

616d ago

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theguardian.comIndian oil and gas heir made professor of sustainability at Newcastle University

Anant Ambani appointed professor of sustainability at Newcastleeducation

Anant Ambani appointed professor of sustainability at Newcastle

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