New Delhi, Aug 1 (IANS) Gopinath Pradhan is the new vice- chancellor of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), a statement released here said Wednesday.

Sixty-year-old Pradhan joined IGNOU in 1993 and was the director of the university's School of Social Sciences (SOSS) since 2010.

A professor of Economics, Pradhan was associated with the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, New Delhi, prior to his association with the IGNOU.

His academic publications include Industrial Estates and State Development, Evasion of Excise Duty in India (co-author of the theme dealing with cotton textile fabrics), and Fiscal Policy for National Capital Region, said the statement.

He has contributed in the certificate programme launched by IGNOU in 2001 on Involuntary Resettlement and Rehabilitation, Strengthening of Local Government in Madhya Pradesh, the statement added.

Several research papers by Pradhan were published in international and national journals, added the statement.