The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has launched V Balakrishnan Institute Chair to focus on research and teaching in the areas of natural sciences, mathematics and theoretical foundation of engineering. The Chair has been named in honor of Prof V Balakrishnan, a former faculty of IIT Madras and a distinguished Indian theoretical physicist.
His expertise spans several fields and areas, including particle physics, many-body theory, and the mechanical behavior of solids, dynamical systems, stochastic processes, and quantum dynamics. An accomplished researcher, he has made important contributions to the theory of anelasticity, continuous-time random walks, and recurrences in dynamical systems.
Also read| NIRF Ranking: Seven Out 10 Spots Secured by IITs, IIT Madras Best Institute in India Yet Again
The Chair was endowed by Dr Satish Ramakrishna, an IIT Madras alumnus who is currently the managing director and chief risk officer of Two Sigma Investments, a New York-based hedge venture capital firm. Satish Ramakrishna belonged to the 1987 batch of the Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Madras.
Prof Sarit Kumar Das of the department of mechanical engineering, IIT Madras has been selected as the first occupant of the ‘V Balakrishnan Institute Chair.’ Prof Das’ research varies from a wide range of heat transfer applications such as nanofluids, biological heat transfer microfluidics, and nanoparticle mediated drug delivery in cancer cells. He is also an elected fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India, and the Indian National Academy of Engineering.
Announcing the first occupant of ‘V Balakrishnan Institute Chair’, Prof V Kamakoti, director, IIT Madras, said, “Prof V Balakrishnan is one of the greatest teachers and researchers who had served in IIT Madras. He is also the most loved, respected, and adored faculty of the Institute. I congratulate Prof Sarit Kumar Das for being the first occupant of this illustrious Chair.”
Speaking during the event, Dr Satish Ramakrishna, Managing Director and Chief Risk Officer, Two Sigma Investments, said, “Prof V Balakrishnan is intensely analytical and is a great communicator of a rational approach to life, which is an approach followed by intelligent and purposeful people. The occupants of the Chair have a high mark to aspire to.”
Read| Exciting Time to Start Career in India: N Chandrasekaran at IIT Madras Convocation
Addressing the audience, Prof V Balakrishnan, Professor Emeritus, said, “Based on my experience, I learned to never presume that when you know something, you know about it completely. You should also never presume that everybody should know about it too. As a teacher, I’ve learned to put myself in the shoes of the students.”
“I am extremely optimistic about the future of IIT Madras. There has been a tremendous change in the Institute in the last 40 years. The rankings have improved, thanks to the efforts of the various stakeholders of the institute,” Prof Balakrishnan added.
Read all the Latest News, Breaking News, watch Top Videos and Live TV here.
Comments
0 comment