Lucknow, Oct 21 M. K. Misra, who heads chemistry department at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Mumbai, was Wednesday named the vice-chancellor of the Lucknow University.

According to a Raj Bhawan spokesman, "The new vice-chancellor should be assuming his office before the end of this month."

Uttar Pradesh Governor B. C. Joshi chose Misra over four other short-listed names.

Misra is stated to be among the country's leading scientists and has several important researches to his credit.

Misra told IANS over telephone from Mumbai, "The appointment has come as a pleasant surprise to me."

"It would be an honour to serve the Lucknow University as its vice-chancellor after doing a long stint of 23 years with IIT-Mumbai," Misra, 57, said.

Prior to joining IIT, Misra was a faculty member at the Princeton University in the US. He did his Ph. D from the University of Florida, US.

Born in Bihar, he spent his early years in New Delhi, where his family is settled. (IANS)