Prof. V Ramgopal Rao

About

Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao is currently Group Vice Chancellor of BITS Pilani, an Institution of Eminence with campuses in Pilani, Goa, Hyderabad, Dubai, Mumbai and Amaravati. His focus is on strengthening academic quality, research, innovation, entrepreneurship, industry engagement and global partnerships, while building institutions that are globally competitive and relevant to India.Before joining BITS Pilani, he spent over 25 years in the IIT system. His academic career began at IIT Bombay, where he spent nearly two decades in teaching, research and institution building, followed by six years as Director of IIT Delhi from 2016 to 2021. He held Chair Professor positions for Nanoelectronics at IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi.His research spans three decades in nanoelectronics and nanoscale technologies, with over 500 research publications and more than 50 patents, including 20 issued US patents. Fifteen patents have been licensed to industry, and intellectual property developed by his group on CMOS SoC applications is now used in hundreds of millions of integrated circuits sold worldwide. More than 50 PhD students have graduated under his supervision and gone on to careers in academia and industry across the world.Research translation and entrepreneurship have been an integral part of his journey. He co founded two deep technology startups, Nanosniff and Soilsens, which have developed several products now in the market.For his contributions to research, technology and higher education, Prof. Rao has received over 40 awards and honours in India and abroad, including the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, the Infosys Prize and the IEEE EDS S. M. Sze Education Award. He is a Fellow of IEEE, The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE), the Indian Academy of Sciences (IASc), the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) and the National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI).His personal journey began with Telugu medium education in a small town in Telangana, followed by higher education at IIT Bombay, a doctoral degree in Germany, research experience at UCLA, and a return to India to pursue teaching, research and institution building. He has also spent several summers at more than a dozen universities abroad on their invitation.He remains deeply committed to strengthening universities, advancing science and technology, supporting research translation and entrepreneurship, and creating opportunities for young people to learn by doing, think independently and build with confidence and purpose.