Kenyan education champion Dr. Vijoo Rattansi, former University of Nairobi chancellor, dies

Dr. Vijoo Rattansi, the first female chancellor of the University of Nairobi, died on Thursday, July 30, 2024. She led the university from 2013 to 2023 and chaired its foundation, guiding its academic excellence and global engagement.

Rattansi also headed the Rattansi Educational Trust and the Daisy Eye Cancer Fund, funding scholarships for thousands of disadvantaged Kenyan students. Tributes highlighted her generosity and personal support, with current chancellor Prof. Dr. Patrick Verkooijen and former vice‑chancellor Prof. Stephen Kiama Gitahi praising her dedication to higher education. Her honors included Kenya’s Order of the Grand Warrior and an honorary Doctor of Letters from Moi University. Her passing marks the loss of a prominent educator and philanthropist in Kenya’s academic community.