N. Rama Rao Chair

Nagavara Ramarao Narayana Murthy (MT/EE/1969) is one of the most eminent alumni of IITK. He is the Co-founder and was the Chairman of Infosys before retiring as Chairman Emeritus in 2011. Mr. Murthy began his career as Chief Systems Programmer IIM Ahemdabad and Patni Computer Systems in Pune. He started Infosys in 1981. Murthy has been listed among the 12 greatest entrepreneurs of our time by Fortune magazine. He has been described as the "father of the Indian IT sector" by Time magazine due to his contribution to outsourcing in India. Mr. Murthy has been honoured with the Padma Vibhushan and Padma Shri awards by the Govt. of India
In the year 1998, the Department of Computer Science and Engineering decided to set-up the N. Rama Rao Chair, with the generous donation from Mr. Narayan Murthy, son of Mr. N. Rama Rao.




Current Occupant


Prof. Nitin Saxena

May 2024 - April 2029

Prof. Nitin Saxena, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, research interests are in the fields of algebraic structures and the related computational problems. He conceptualized "rank-concentration in circuits'' and "algebraic dependence" in several high-profile papers; he also introduced "bootstrapping of variables"--- an unexpected phenomenon that identifies a plethora of simple polynomials such that understanding any one of them would mean understanding general circuits. This further led to identifying SOS (Sum-of-Squares) as the key model to study. He solved classical problems in root-finding, factoring and primality.

Prof. Saxena earlier served as a Scientific Researcher in CWI, Amsterdam (2006-08) and a faculty in Hausdorff Center for Mathematics, Bonn (2008-13). He is the recipient of many prestigious awards and honors, such as Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize (2018); Young Faculty Research Fellowship ( 2018-21); DST SwarnaJayanti Fellowship Award (2013-14) in Mathematics ( project duration 2015-20); Indian National Science Academy Young Scientist Medal in Mathematical Sciences (2015); Godel Prize (2006); Fulkerson Prize (2006); Distinguished Alumnus Award (2003); Global Indus Technovators Award (2003).
Gratitude video