Former University of Nairobi Chancellor Dies, Hailed As An Education Champion
Former University of Nairobi Chancellor Dr Vijoo Rattansi has died, prompting tributes from leaders and members of the academic community who hailed her contribution to higher education.
Her death was first confirmed by former UoN Vice Chancellor Kiama Gitahi through a condolence message on Thursday, July 30, who described Rattansi as a champion of education whose generosity transformed the lives of countless students.
“It is with profound sadness that I learned of the passing of Dr Vijoo Rattansi, former Chancellor of the University of Nairobi,” Muigai said in a statement.
He praised the late professor for her unwavering commitment to expanding access to higher education, saying her legacy would continue to live on through the many people whose education she supported.
Ratannsi, who made history as the first woman to serve as the UoN Chancellor, held the position from 2013 to 2023.
She was widely recognised for championing access to education through scholarships and charitable initiatives that transformed the lives of thousands of students across the country.
Besides serving as a chancellor, she led the Rattansi Educational Trust, a charity foundation that supported needy students by providing school fees and academic scholarships in institutions of higher learning.
She also served as chairperson and trustee of several organisations, including the Daisy Eye Cancer Fund, the Sir Michael Blundell Trust and the Slums Information Development and Resource Centres (SIDERAC).
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Her contributions to education and philanthropy earned her national recognition, including the Order of the Grand Warrior (OGW) in 2006 and also awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters degree.
Others who also mourned the scholar include businesswoman and Nairobi gubernatorial aspirant Anne Kagure.
Kagure described the deceased as a visionary educationist whose work created opportunities for generations of learners.
“My heartfelt condolences and prayers go out to the University of Nairobi community, the family, and friends of former Chancellor Dr Vijoo Rattansi following her passing,” Kagure said.
“Dr Rattansi will be remembered as a distinguished educationist and a visionary whose lifelong commitment to education opened doors for countless people in Kenya and beyond, transforming lives through opportunity and learning.”
Rattansi’s passing marks the end of a distinguished career dedicated to advancing higher education in the country and expanding opportunities for disadvantaged students.
Former University of Nairobi Chancellor Dies, Hailed As An Education Champion
