University of Birmingham unveils portrait to honour Lord Bilimoria’s decade as Chancellor

The University of Birmingham has unveiled a portrait to commemorate Lord Karan Bilimoria’s ten-year tenure as Chancellor.

Lord Bilimoria, the first Indian-born Chancellor of a Russell Group university in Great Britain, has stepped down, leaving behind a legacy of transformative leadership.

The portrait, crafted by Benjamin Sullivan, a renowned portrait artist and the youngest person to be elected to the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, now joins the University’s Research and Cultural Collections. Sullivan's works, including portraits of notable figures such as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, are displayed in public and private collections worldwide, including the National Portrait Gallery.

Clare Mullett, Head of Research and Cultural Collections at the University of Birmingham said: “I am delighted by this portrait of Lord Bilimoria which will be a superb addition to the Campus Art Collection. Benjamin Sullivan has captured a strong likeness, along with the context of the House of Lords and the crests of the University of Birmingham and Lord Bilimoria’s own family. Above all he has captured a sense of the man himself, which I’m sure those that know him will recognise.”

Lord Bilimoria, the seventh Chancellor in the University’s 124-year history, has played a key role in its evolution into a cutting-edge institution.

His vision led to the establishment of the state-of-the-art Dubai campus, which now hosts nearly 2,000 students from around 100 countries, offering a diverse range of courses from Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Business.

Significant milestones during Lord Bilimoria’s chancellorship include the launch of the India Institute in 2017/18. The University introduced the first-ever joint Master's degree in AI and Data Science with IIT Madras in 2023, followed by another joint degree in Sustainable Energy Systems in 2024. Additionally, he initiated a unique collaboration between the Royal Collection and the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, allowing students to curate and exhibit items from the Royal Collection.

The University of Birmingham garnered several prestigious accolades during his tenure. It was named Times and Sunday Times University of the Year for Graduate Employability in 2016 and received two Queen’s Anniversary Prizes: in 2018 for railway research and in 2023 for enhancing jet engine safety with Rolls Royce. The university was also recognised in two rounds of the Research Excellence Framework (REF), ranking 10th in the Russell Group and 13th overall in the latest REF 2021.

Lord Bilimoria oversaw the opening of the University of Birmingham School, which recently won Secondary School of the Year in the Midlands, and the state-of-the-art library in 2015/16. In 2017/18, he inaugurated the Sports and Fitness Centre, featuring a 50-metre swimming pool, with HRH Princess Royal.

Beyond academia, Lord Bilimoria's tenure was marked by significant community engagement and international presence. He played a key role in launching the Birmingham in Action fundraising programme in 2019, raising nearly £400 million and achieving one million volunteering hours over five years. The University played a pivotal role in the 2022 Commonwealth Games, serving as a main sponsor and hosting the majority of the athlete's village and several competitions.

Lord Bilimoria also served as President of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) for two years, representing the university at the Dubai Expo, COP26 in Glasgow, and COP28 in Dubai, showcasing pioneering innovations like Hydroflex, the world’s first retrofitted hydrogen-powered train.

University of Birmingham Vice-Chancellor Professor Adam Tickell commented: “Lord Bilimoria is one of our longest serving Chancellors and has played an important role as a powerful advocate and ambassador for the University across the world.

“He has served our community with remarkable distinction for the past decade and will be greatly missed by all who have met him and worked with him. He is passionate about higher education and unwavering in his commitment to the importance of education and research.

“His desire to heighten the impact of the University’s mission to educate the next generations and solve some of the world’s greatest problems through research has led him to talk to audiences world-wide. He has inspired thousands of students in Edgbaston and Dubai and leaves behind an enduring legacy.

“As a vocal advocate for strengthening ties across the world, and between the UK and India in particular, he has helped to forge links with industrial partners, universities, and government.

“We want to thank him for his invaluable contribution and hope that he looks back with pride on the significant part he has played in the rich story of the University of Birmingham over the last 10 years.”

In his final speech as Chancellor of the university Lord Bilimoria remarked: “I have been privileged and honoured to be Chancellor over the last 10 years, I am so proud of our outstanding institution, recognized as a top 100 university in the world. This past decade has been the proudest in my career. I am confident that the university is going to continue to go from strength to strength. I look forward to being a lifelong member of the University of Birmingham.”