KANPUR: Renu Khator of Farrukhabad became the first Indian-origin woman to head a US university. On November 6, the Board of Regents of the University of Houston officially confirmed Renu Khator, 52, as their next chief executive.

The 16 Maheshwari families at Palla Mathia wali gali in Farrukhabad town were celebrating the historic feat of their daughter. Born in 1955 in Farrukhabad, Renu is the eldest of the three children of late Satish Chandra Maheshwari, a successful lawyer in the town.

She studied in Mission School, Farrukhabad and graduated from the NAKP Degree College (affiliated to Kanpur University) in the same town and later went to Allahabad University. ''When papa settled the marriage, Renu was studying at Allahabad University in MA (Previous),'' recalls Rajan, the youngest and five years junior to Renu.

Ahead of her acceptance speech on Monday at the University of Houston, Renu called up her mom to take her blessings. ''Renu was against marrying without finishing her post-graduation. She went on a hunger strike.

But her would-be husband Suresh Khator promised to help her pursue higher studies. Now, the world is witness to the historic saga of Renu,'' says Rajan Maheshwari, a Farrukhabad-based income-tax advocate and Renu's younger brother.

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