Dehradun, Uttarakhand | Established in 2003 | Approved/Accredited by UGC, NBA | Private
UPES Vice Chancellor, Director and Faculty: Profile, Expertise, Research
UPES Dehradun is leading UGC recognised university. UPSE offers reputed MBA programs in different functions (Marketing, Finance, HR among others) and industries (Oil and Gas Management, Logistics and Supply Chain Management among others). UPES also offers MBA programs in Strategy, Generative AI, other areas in partnership with EY and KPMG. UPES has a strong MBA placement record with the highest package reaching Rs 29 LPA. UPES MBA Admission 2026 is open. Apply Now. Read more details about Director and Faculty members in this article.
UPES Vice Chancellor
Dr. Sunil Rai, Vice Chancellor, UPES
Dr. Sunil Rai is the Vice Chancellor of UPES and a distinguished academic leader with over four decades of experience spanning academia, defence, and the corporate sector. His professional journey includes 25 years in academics, 21 years in the Indian Navy, and leadership exposure in the corporate domain.
Prior to joining UPES, Dr. Rai served as the Vice Chancellor of MIT Arts, Design & Technology University, Pune, and as a Director on the Board of the Maharashtra Information Technology Corporation, Government of Maharashtra.
Widely recognised for driving institutional transformation, Dr. Rai has held senior leadership roles including President, Vice Chancellor, Pro Vice Chancellor, Director, Dean, and Chairperson. Across these roles, he has played a key role in shaping universities into strong, credible brands through process-driven governance, faculty development, and accreditation-led growth.
A defence veteran, Dr. Rai was a commissioned officer in the Indian Navy for 21 years, where he managed ships and technical establishments in various capacities. His service includes assignments on INS Vikrant, Nilgiri, Himgiri, and the oil tanker Shakti, experiences that continue to influence his structured and resilient leadership approach.
Dr. Rai holds a PhD in Business Continuity Management from BITS Pilani, an MTech in Computer Science & Engineering from IIT Mumbai, and an MBA in Human Resources from IGNOU. He also holds a Master’s degree in Marine Engineering from the Naval College of Engineering, INS Shivaji (Lonavla), and a BSc (Hons) degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
His professional journey reflects a rare blend of management, engineering, and the performing arts. His research interests focus on technology-enabled, people-driven change management and organisational development.
Dr. Rai is a member of the Board of Advisors for Outreach Programs at Virginia Polytechnic University, USA, and is the co-founder of Cambridge Global Partners, Edinburgh, a strategic consulting firm working with academic and industrial organisations worldwide.
A respected thought leader and compelling public speaker, Dr. Rai has published extensively on Business Continuity and Higher Education and regularly contributes to management magazines and education columns. He has addressed numerous national and international forums and is widely acknowledged for his clarity of thought and engaging oratory.
UPES MBA Director
Dr Rahul Nainwal is the Senior Director of School of Business at UPES University Dehradun.
He is a Chevening Fellow, MBA (IRMA), and B.Tech (NIT Rourkela). He brings over two decades of leadership experience across academia, entrepreneurship, and institution building. Dr Rahul Nainwal champions experiential learning, design thinking, and strategic leadership. His work blends global perspectives with industry relevance, mentoring Start-ups and strengthening innovation-driven leadership ecosystems.
Rs. 9.06 Lakhs
Rs. 7.50 LPA
CAT, XAT, GMAT
360
Rs. 9.40 Lakhs
0
CAT, XAT, GMAT
240
