Maharaja Bhupinder Singh Punjab Sports University gets new Vice-Chancellor
Babushahi Bureau
Patiala (Punjab), February 8, 2026: The Governor of Punjab has appointed Dr. Pushpinder Singh Gill as the Vice-Chancellor of The Maharaja Bhupinder Singh Punjab Sports University (MBSPSU), Patiala, for a tenure of three years, effective from the date he assumes charge.
The appointment has been made by the Chancellor of the University under the provisions of the Maharaja Bhupinder Singh Punjab Sports University Act, 2019. The official notification was issued on February 8, 2026, by Vivek Pratap Singh, IAS, Principal Secretary to the Governor of Punjab.
Dr. Gill brings with him more than 36 years of extensive experience spanning academia, research, administration, and international consulting. A retired Professor from Punjabi University, Patiala, he has held several academic and leadership positions that place him in a strong position to lead Punjab’s premier sports university toward academic and institutional excellence.
An accomplished academic, Dr. Gill earned his Doctorate in 1993 from Punjabi University, Patiala, with a specialization in marketing and organizational behaviour.
He also holds an MBA in Marketing and Material Management and a BA (Honours) in Economics, both with First Division. During his long academic career at Punjabi University, he served as Professor in the School of Management Studies for over 23 years, in addition to earlier roles as Associate Professor and Assistant Professor.
Beyond academia, Dr. Gill has notable corporate leadership experience, having served as Chief Executive Officer for The Coca-Cola Company in Africa between 1999 and 2001, overseeing operations in countries including Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Nigeria. This exposure has equipped him with valuable expertise in strategic management and corporate governance.
Dr. Gill’s scholarly contributions are extensive. He has published 84 research papers in reputed national and international journals and authored 10 books, including the well-known The Punjab That Was Not (Volumes I, II, and III), along with works on strategic management, principles of management, and tourism studies. He has also written over 400 articles in popular magazines and newspapers and served as Editor-in-Chief of the Indian Journal of Management Studies from 2011 to 2014.
His academic engagement includes 75 national and 25 international research presentations, more than 100 invited talks, and 20 plenary lectures at international conferences. Dr. Gill has also successfully supervised 30 PhD scholars, contributing significantly to research capacity building in management education.
Articulating his vision for MBSPSU, Dr. Gill has expressed his intent to position the University as India’s benchmark for integrated sports education, high-performance sport, and applied research, fostering collaboration among students, athletes, faculty, coaches, and industry to translate scientific knowledge into sporting excellence and career opportunities.
Dr. Gill has also served as a consultant and executive trainer for several multinational corporations, including The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo India, Cadbury Schweppes India, Phillips India Ltd., Federal-Mogul Goetze India Limited, and Surya Roshni Limited. Additionally, he has worked as an expert with Public Service Commissions in multiple states, including Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh.
The detailed terms and conditions of Dr. Gill’s appointment will be notified separately by the Punjab Government’s Department of Youth Affairs and Sports, Chandigarh.