Mrunalini Devi Puar

Background and family

Puar was born in the state of Gujarat and belonged to the former ruling family of Baroda, the Gaekwads. This dynasty played a central role in the social and cultural life of Baroda State before India’s political integration. Members of the family have often been connected with patronage of education, the arts and public institutions in the city.

Academic career

Trained as a dietitian, Puar worked as an educator at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. Her professional identity combined practical knowledge of nutrition with teaching and outreach; she is commonly described in reports as both an educator and a dietitian. At the university she was involved in academic life and student affairs before taking on the formal leadership role of chancellor.

Chancellorship and responsibilities

Following the death of her brother in 1988, Puar assumed the ceremonial and administrative post of chancellor of the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. She held this office from 1988 until her death in 2015, a tenure that spanned more than a quarter century. As chancellor she presided over convocations, represented the university at public occasions and worked with university authorities on governance matters.

Legacy and significance

Puar’s long association with a major regional university made her a familiar figure in Gujarat’s academic community. Her career illustrates the overlap between hereditary public roles and modern higher education in India, and she is remembered both for her professional background in nutrition and for her steady stewardship of the university during changing times.

Notable facts

• Born 25 June 1931; died 1 January 2015 after a short illness.
• Member of the Gaekwad family, historically linked to Baroda State.
• Served as chancellor of Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda from 1988 to 2015.
• Described in public records as an educator and practicing dietitian.

For more information about the university and regional history see resources and institutional pages linked by collaborators and archives: educator profile, nutrition and dietetics, chancellors of the university, and regional context at Gujarat.