Srinagar, Aug 21 (IANS): Noted academician and Jammu University's former vice chancellor Amitabh Mattoo was on Friday appointed as advisor to the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister.
"Professor Amitabh Mattoo, former vice chancellor of Jammu University, is hereby appointed as the advisor to the chief minister with status of cabinet minister," said a government order issued here.
Mattoo was the director of the prestigious India-Australia Institute till recently. He is on the advisory panel of the prime minister on education and member of the committee on national security besides being part of many think tank groups inside and outside the country.
A Ph.D from Oxford University on global disarmament and conflict resolution, he is the first member of the minority Kashmir Pandit community to get a position of prominence in the Mufti Muhammad Sayeed-led PDP-BJP government.