Dr. Srinivasan Ramani

A Visionary, an Outstanding Mentor and a Great Human Being

 

Dr.Ramani was born in Chennai to Mr. C. S. Srinivasan and Mrs. Mangalam. He did his Bachelor in Engineering from Madras University in 1962. He completed his M.Tech in Computer Science in the first M.Tech batch at IIT Bombay (1964) with Prof J.R. Isaac and Prof P.V.S. Rao from TIFR as his thesis advisors and project guides. He later joined TIFR (1964) where he worked for his Ph.D. in the area of Artificial Intelligence with Prof.R. Narasimhan (1969). He later worked for his post-doc at Carnegie Mellon University with Prof. Allen Newell (1971-1973).

 

Dr. Ramani entered the professional world starting in computer communications; and later worked in several other areas including knowledge-based computer systems and technology in education. He has served as a scientist at different levels at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (1964-1985), as Director, National Centre for Software Technology (1985-2000), Director, R&D, Silverline Technologies Ltd (2000-2001) and as Director at the HP Labs India (2001-2007). He was later Professor at the International Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore (2007-2011).

 

Ramani has worked on computer networking for developing countries for over two decades. He created and headed a computer networks team at the National Centre for Software Development and Computing Techniques, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research starting in 1974. Working with two other Indian Labs in this area, the team created and demonstrated a packet switching network over satellite channels in the early eighties.

 

As Head, Computer Networks at the National Centre for Software Technology (NCST), Mumbai, Ramani played a key role in the Education and Research Network (ERNET) project that brought the Internet to India and subsequently the Bombay Library Network (Bonet). Under Ramani’s leadership, the NCST team set up the first Internet links for ERNET (1988). The link to USA was upgraded to 64 Kbps (1992); it has grown many, many times in the subsequent years. In parallel, the eight partnering institutions of ERNET, in cooperation with NCST, set up intercity TCP/IP links to Mumbai. The expertise gained during the ERNET project was used by the NCST team to help a number of Indian companies and organizations to set up their own TCP/IP networks.

 

Dr. Ramani was instrumental in several other areas of work at the National Centre for Software Technology. He led the Knowledge Based Computer Systems group that contributed to several areas of Artificial Intelligence. He led NCST to launch and run some of the best Software Technology courses for working professionals. While at NCST Dr. Ramani guided 6 PhD students in areas of computer communications and knowledge based computer systems.

 

Dr. Ramani as founding Director set the direction and vision of HP Labs India in Bangalore that had a focus on Innovation for Emerging Economies. He led several efforts looking at problems in the context of an emerging economy like India and identifying technology solutions that could have a significant impact. He was a firm believer that technology innovation should have an impact and that ideas from India could inspire innovation elsewhere in the world.

 

At the International Institute for Information Technology, Dr.Ramani was actively involved in research in the area of Technology in Education and Semantic Web. He led research students in this area and was also instrumental in starting the IEEE series – International Workshop on Technology for Education (T4E) in 2009. This has now established itself as a premier event in India related to Technology for Education.

 

Dr. Ramani was a member of the High Level Panel of Advisors to the UN on Information and Communication Technologies (2001-2004); and later he served as an advisor. He created a series of international conferences named Computer Communication for Developing Countries. He served as Editor, Journal of Information Technology for Development (1995-2000). Dr Ramani now runs an educational website www.HydrusWorld.org and blogs at http://obvioustruths.blogspot.in and http://newstudentresearch.blogspot.com. These sites give a glimpse of his passion for ideas and determination to have an impact.

 

Dr. Ramani is a Past-President of the Computer Society of India (1996-98), a Past-President of the International Council for Computer Communication (2001-2004), Past Chairman of the Governing Board of the Information Library Network (INFLIBNET) (1995-2000). Dr. Ramani is a Fellow of the CSI, the National Academy of Engineering and IIT Bombay. He was a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Cabinet, India (1997-1999). He was a recipient of the Homi Bhabha Fellowship (1971-73), the Om Prakash Bhasin Award (1990) and the Dataquest Lifetime Achievement Award (2000).

 

Dr. Ramani has been a great institution builder being the founding Director of the National Centre for Software Technology, Mumbai (1985-2000) and the founding Director of HP Labs India, Bangalore (2001-2007). He set the vision and built the strong foundations for these institutions.

 

With Dr. Ramani’s help SNDT established its MCA programme in 1989. Under an MOU of SNDT and NCST, the PhD programme in Computer Science got established and 2 faculty members were given guidance and facilities for conducting their research at NCST. Dr. Ramani was a member of the SNDT Senate for 2 terms (1985-90; 1995-2000) as the Governor’s Nominee.

 

There are several things that are special about Dr. Ramani. He is a person with a tremendous amount of curiosity and a passion for life. He is a problem solver par excellence - no matter what the problem, whether technical or personal, he always has a practical way of solving it. He has a great attention for detail. The enthusiasm and excitement of Dr. Ramani are contagious and have greatly influenced those who worked with him. Overall Dr. Ramani is a great human being with a very caring attitude and has been a tremendous role model for many of us. We felicitate and congratulate Dr. Ramani for all his contributions and are extremely grateful to him for making several of us what we are today.