New Delhi, Delhi, India
Currently, I am serving as Member, NITI Aayog, Government of India, where I contribute to India’s development journey through science, technology, innovation, emerging technologies, inclusive growth, and evidence-based policymaking. Prior to this, I served as Secretary, Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, from October 3, 2023 to May 17, 2026. During my tenure, I was closely involved in operationalizing several transformative national initiatives, including the National Quantum Mission, the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) & the ₹1 Lakh Crore Research, Development and Innovation Fund to support cutting-edge R&D in the private sector and deep-tech startups. Several major initiatives were also advanced in clean energy, green hydrogen, advanced materials, geospatial technologies, manufacturing, R&D infrastructure, technology incubation, and international R&D collaborations. Before joining the Government of India as Secretary, I served as Director, IITK from April 2018 to September 2023. I joined IIT Bombay in April 1997, where I served as Dean of Faculty Affairs, Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering, first Professor-in-Charge of IIT Bombay Research Park, and Head of the Computer Centre. My research has focused on telecommunications, networks, 5G/6G technologies, affordable broadband access & standards-driven innovation. My research group has made significant contributions to AI-driven programmable protocols for 6G and to global standardization efforts in 5G and 5G-Advanced. Our work contributed to the development of IEEE 1930.1, the first IEEE standard emerging from Indian efforts led by our team, and IEEE 2061, focused on affordable broadband networks. We have also contributed to 3GPP 5G-Advanced in satellite communications, broadcast-broadband convergence, energy-efficient networks, and wireless relays. I was the founding member & former Chairman of the Telecom Standards Development Society India (TSDSI) from 2014 to 2018, and served as Member (Part-Time), Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) from January 2018 to January 2021. I also served on the Board of Governors of the IEEE Standards Association from January 2022 to December 2023. My work in technology policy, regulation, research, & standardization has been recognized nationally and internationally. I received the IEEE SA Standards Medallion in 2016 and am a Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy & the Indian National Academy of Engineering. I have also been conferred an Honorary Doctorate by King George’s Medical University.
Currently, I am serving as Member, NITI Aayog, Government of India. In this role, I am contributing to India’s development journey through science, technology, innovation, emerging technologies, inclusive growth, and evidence-based policymaking.
During my tenure as Secretary DST I was instrumental in operationalizing many transformative initiatives of the Government of India. This includes National Quantum Mission and Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF). I also operationalized Rs 1 Lakh Crore Research, Development and Innovation Fund for supporting cutting-edge R&D in private sectors and deep tech startups. During my tenure, several R&D programs and initiatives were launched in clean energy, green hydrogen, advanced materials, geospatial technologies, manufacturing, R&D infrastructure, technology incubation and international bilateral R&D programs.
During my tenure as Director IIT Kanpur, institute witnessed significant expansion in academic infrastructure, new research facilities, increase in the number of new faculty, international collaborations, and industry partnerships. Multiple new departments and research centers were created, namely, Department of Sustainable Energy Engineering, Department of Cognitive Sciences, Department of Space, Planetary & Astronomical Sciences & Engineering, and Department of Design, The Mehta Family Centre for Engineering in Medicine, Chandrakanta Kesavan Center for Energy Policy and Climate Solutions, Shivani Centre for the Nurture and Re-Integration of Hindi and Other Indian Languages, and international collaborative centers like Rice-IITK Collaborative Centre for sustainable energy, IITK-La Trobe Academy. IIT Kanpur’s innovation program achieved a historic milestone with 100+ start-ups in its portfolio with a combined valuation of Rs 3000 crores. To foster academia-industry collaboration, I also initiated the process of setting up of the first research park of IIT Kanpur, Technopark@iitk. I also embarked on setting up a one-of-its kind project of establishing a Medical School on campus. The Gangwal School of Medical Sciences and Technology is envisaged to serve as a major hub for MedTech innovation in futuristic medicine.
Teaching and Reserach in Communications Network, Wireless Communications
TSDSI is India's Telecom Standards Organization. TSDSI is an organizational partner of 3GPP and also member of Global Standards Collaboration. https://tsdsi.in/