[2] In 2008, she became the first female chancellor in the state of Texas and the first Indian immigrant to lead a comprehensive research university in the U.S.[Book 1] Prior to moving to the United States, Khator earned a bachelor's degree from the Kanpur University in 1973 in liberal arts.

[10] As chancellor of the UH System, Khator oversees four institutions of higher learning serving close to 76,000 students.

[13] [20] Khator also was awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman from the former President Pranab Mukerjee of India, the highest honor given to non-resident Indians.

[13] In 2020, Khator has been elected to the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences for her contributions in the fields of education and academic leadership.

[21] In 2023, she was named a Global Education and Institutional Leadership Honoree by the World Affairs Council of Greater Houston and a Houston Business Journal Women Who Mean Business Lifetime Achievement Award winner.