Devendra Jalihal takes charge as new director of IIT-G | Guwahati News - Times of India

Source: The Times of India
Author: Kangkan Kalita

Guwahati: Renowned academician Prof Devendra Jalihal on Wednesday assumed the charge as the director at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT-G).

Prior to his appointment as IIT-G director, Prof Jalihal was serving at IIT Madras as a professor in the electrical engineering department of the institute. He succeeded Prof Rajeev Ahuja, who held the additional charge of IIT Guwahati from November 2023.

Prof Jalihal, in his inaugural statement as the IIT-G director, called it an honor to assume the role. "IIT Guwahati is a prestigious institution ranked consistently among the top 10 by the NIRF rankings and high research citation rank of 32 in QS world rankings. Situated in one of the most biodiverse and economically dynamic locations of the country, this region has experienced rapid infrastructure development, skill enhancement, and industrial growth," he said.

He underlined the industrial potential of the northeastern region and IIT Guwahati's strategic position within it. Prof Jalihal said with the upcoming Tata-sponsored semiconductor testing and packaging industry near Guwahati, IIT-G is poised to lead the technological advancement of the region. "As the only IIT in the northeast region, the institute will work to fulfill the aspirations of all the stakeholders," he said.

Prof Jalihal got his BTech (Hons) from IIT Kharagpur in 1983. Later, completed his PhD in electrical engineering from Duke University, Durham, USA, in 1992. He joined the electrical engineering department at IIT Madras in 1994 and also served as the head of the department from 2016 to 2019.

Before assuming his role at IIT Guwahati, Prof Jalihal chaired the Centre for Outreach and Digital Education at IIT Madras, overseeing all educational outreach activities of the institute, stated a PIB release. "Prof Jalihal has contributed to numerous projects, including low bit-rate video conferencing, tactical communication systems, disaster management communication systems, and satellite communication networks," it added.