UVCE Alumni and the IEEE Fellow Distinction: An Overview of Ten Honorees

In the global engineering community, the grade of IEEE Fellow is one of the highest distinctions a professional can achieve, awarded to individuals with exceptional records of accomplishment. For University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE), the induction of ten alumni as IEEE Fellows reflects the institution's long-standing academic standards and contributions to technical innovation.

As part of the Silver Jubilee of IEEE UVCE, this article provides profiles of these ten prominent alumni. Their work spans radar development, digital communications, cloud systems, and computer science education, illustrating the legacy of academic rigor at UVCE.

The Impact of an IEEE Fellow

The IEEE Grade of Fellow is conferred by the Board of Directors upon individuals with extraordinary accomplishments in any IEEE field of interest. The total number of fellows selected in a single year is restricted to a maximum of one-tenth of one percent of the total voting membership. Boasting ten fellows represents a significant achievement in the Indian engineering education landscape.

Profiling the Visionaries

1. Dr. V Prasad Kodali (Fellow 1980)

BE 1961 Electrical | Former Project Director, UNDT

"For leadership in the planning of Radar development."

Dr. Kodali spent four decades promoting IEEE activities in India. His research spanned circuit theory and microwave semiconductors, contributing to the development of electronic engineering in India. He is also a recipient of the Vasvik Research Award.

2. Dr. Nasir Ahmed (Fellow 1985)

BE 1961 Electrical | Professor Emeritus, UNM

"For contributions to Engineering Education and to Digital Signal Processing."

Dr. Ahmed developed the Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT), the fundamental mathematical algorithm used globally for image and video compression standard formats (such as JPEG and MPEG). His research remains widely cited within digital signal processing literature. Read the full profile

3. Dr. Mandayam Ananthampillai Lakshmi Thathachar (Fellow 1991)

BE 1961 Electrical | Former Professor, IISc

"For contributions to the Theory of Learning Automata with Applications to Adaptive Networks."

Dr. Thathachar conducted foundational research in Adaptive Control and Machine Learning systems. He co-authored "Learning Automata," which remains a standard reference in the field.

4. Dr. Sundaraja Sitharama Iyengar (Fellow 1995)

BE 1968 Mechanical | Ryder Professor, FIU USA

"For contributions to Data Structures and Algorithms for Image Processing and Robotics."

After receiving his degree in Mechanical Engineering, he transitioned to Computer Science, publishing over 800 research papers. His algorithmic research has significantly influenced robotic perception and autonomous navigation systems.

5. Dr. Viktor K Prasanna (Fellow 1996)

BE 1976 Electronics | Professor, USC

"For contributions to Reconfigurable Computing."

Dr. Prasanna's research focuses on High-Performance Computing. As the Director of the Center for Energy Informatics at USC, he has pioneered developments in parallel computing systems and smart grids. He has published over 1,000 papers on reconfigurable architecture and parallel computing.

6. Dr. Belur V Dasarathy (Fellow 2001)

BE 1963 Electrical | Independent Consultant

"For contributions to Pattern Recognition, Sensor Fusion, and Image Processing."

Dr. Dasarathy is a key contributor to the field of Information Fusion, developing methodologies for integrating data from multiple sensors to optimize automated decision-making. His books on "Decision Fusion" and "Nearest Neighbor Norms" are standard references.

7. Dr. Vasudev Kalkunte Aatre (Fellow 2002)

BE 1961 Electrical | Former Head, DRDO

"For leadership in Research and Development for Strategic Electronics and Defense Systems."

Dr. Aatre served as the Scientific Advisor to the Defense Minister of India and headed the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO). He was awarded the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan for his leadership in strategic electronics and national defense technology.

8. Dr. Rajkumar Buyya (Fellow 2015)

ME 1995 CSE | Professor, University of Melbourne

"For contributions to Cloud Computing."

Dr. Buyya is a highly cited researcher in Computer Science (h-index=114). His research on "Aneka" software architecture has influenced distributed computing systems. He directs the CLOUDS Lab and has authored four textbooks in the field.

9. Dr. Venugopal K R (Fellow 2016)

BE 1979 Electronics | Former Vice Chancellor, Bangalore University

"For contributions to Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Education."

Dr. Venugopal has completed 11 academic degrees and two PhDs. He has supervised 25 doctoral candidates, filed over 100 patents, and authored 64 books. He served as the Principal of UVCE and the Vice Chancellor of Bangalore University, supporting academic development across the region.

10. Dr. Nalini Venkatasubramanian (Fellow 2025)

BE 1989 CSE | Professor, UC Irvine

"For contributions to the foundations of adaptive software and its application in enhancing community safety."

Elected as a Fellow in 2025, Dr. Nalini's research focuses on middleware and Internet-of-Things (IoT) architectures. Her work in Cyberphysical Systems is utilized to develop resilient software platforms for public safety and emergency management.

Academic Significance and Student Impact

An analysis of these honorees reveals a high concentration of Fellows from the Class of 1961, establishing a strong academic foundation for subsequent cohorts. Their contributions span multiple engineering disciplines—including mathematics, national defense, mechanical systems, and distributed computer software.

For current students, these achievements demonstrate the potential career pathways available to UVCE graduates. Engagement in institutional programs such as the MARVEL research lab, IMPETUS, and KAGADA aligns with the rigorous training that these alumni underwent.