Vijay P. Bhatkar

Vijay Pandurang Bhatkar PB PS is an Indian computer scientist, IT leader and educationalist. He is best known as the architect of India's national initiative in supercomputing where he led the development of Param supercomputers.^[1] He is a Padma Shri,^[2] Padma Bhushan,^{[citation needed]} and Maharashtra Bhushan^{[citation needed]} awardee. Indian computer magazine Dataquest placed him among the pioneers of India's IT industry. He was the founder executive director of Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) and is currently working on developing exascale supercomputing for India.^[3][4]

Vijay Bhatkar PB PS
Born	Vijay Pandurang Bhatkar Muramba, Tq Murtizapur Akola district, Maharashtra, India
Nationality	Indian
Alma mater	VNIT Nagpur M S University, Baroda IIT Delhi
Known for	Architect of PARAM series of Supercomputers
Spouse	Lalit Bhatkar
Children	Samhita Bhatkar, Nachiketas Bhatkar and Taijasa Bhatkar
Awards	Padma Bhushan Padma Shri Maharashtra Bhushan
Website	www.vijaybhatkar.org

Bhatkar has been chancellor of Nalanda University, India since January 2017. Prior to that, he served as the Chairman of Board of Governors of IIT Delhi from 2012 to 2017. Currently he is serving as the Chairman of Vijnana Bharati, a non profit organization of Indian scientists.

Career

Bhatkar was born in Muramba, Taluka Murtijapur, District Akola Maharashtra, India. He received B.E. degree in Electrical Engineering from Nagpur University, Nagpur; ME degree from MS University of Baroda, Vadodara and PhD from IIT Delhi.^{[citation needed]}

Bhatkar is best known as the architect of India's national initiative in supercomputing where he led the development of Param supercomputers. He developed the first Indian supercomputer, the PARAM 8000, in 1991 and later the PARAM 10000 in 1998. Based on the PARAM series of supercomputers, he built the National Param Supercomputing Facility (NPSF) which is now made available as a grid computing facility through the Garuda grid on the National Knowledge Network (NKN) providing nationwide access to High Performance Computing (HPC) infrastructure. Currently, Bhatkar is working on exascale supercomputing via the capability, capacity and infrastructure on NKN.

Bhatkar has played a significant role in forming several national institutions and research centers including Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), the Electronics Research and Development Centre (ER&DC) in Thiruvananthapuram,^[5] Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management, Kerala (IIITM-K), the ETH Research Laboratory and International Institute of Information Technology (I2IT) in Pune, Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation (MKCL) and the India International Multiversity.^[6][7] He has served as a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee to the government of India, CSIR governing body, IT Task Force, and eGovernance committee chairman of the governments of Maharashtra and Goa.^[8] He also serves as the president of Vijnana Bharati.^[9][10]

In 2016, Bhatkar was appointed as the Chairperson of the Science & Engineering Research Body (SERB).^[11] In January 2017, Bhatkar was appointed as the Chancellor of the Nalanda University.^[12][13] He is also the Founder Chancellor and Chief Mentor of Multiversity. Dr. Vijay Bhatkar has served as the Chairman of Board of the Governors of IIT-Delhi (2012-2017),^[14] Chairman of the ETH (Education To Home) Research Lab, Chairman of the Board of Management of Government College of Engineering, Amravati, Chancellor of D. Y. Patil University, and National President of Vijnana Bharati, a People's Science Movement of over 6,000 scientists across India.

Bhatkar has authored and edited over 12 books and 80 technical and research papers and addressed several university convocations, international and national conferences and conventions and public functions.^[15]

Honorary doctorates

In 2011, Bhatkar received an honorary doctorate from DY Patil University.^[16] In 2014, he was awarded an honorary Ph.D from Gujarat Technological University^[17] and a D.Litt. degree from Nagpur University.^[18][19]

References

1. Pal, Sanchari (13 January 2017). "The Little Known Story of How India's First Indigenous Supercomputer Amazed the World in 1991". The Better India. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
2. (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
3. Salomi, Vithika, ed. (28 January 2017). "Architect of India's first supercomputer 'Param' to head Nalanda University". DNA. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
4. "NVIDIA, IIT collaborate to develop supercomputer". Rediff.com. 22 December 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
5. "Yesterday's supercomputers are today's laptops: Bhatkar". Live Mint. 21 November 2012. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
6. Sharma, Ritu (28 January 2017). "Father of India's first supercomputer becomes Nalanda University's Chancellor". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
7. . Action For India. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
8. "Much to be done, says Padma awardee Bhatkar". The Times of India. 25 January 2015. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
9. "Vijay Bhatkar, Head of RSS-Affiliated Science Body, Named Nalanda University Chancellor". The Wire India. 28 January 2017. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
10. Koshy, Jacob (29 January 2017). "Vijay Bhatkar to remain in RSS body". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
11. Reconstitution of Oversight Committee - SERB. 30 May 2016
12. Kumar, Arun (27 January 2017). "Architect of India's supercomputer appointed Nalanda University chancellor". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
13. "Vijay Bhatkar, architect of India's first super computer 'Param', to head Nalanda University". India TV News. 28 January 2017. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
14. "IIT-Delhi: Scientist Vijay Bhatkar to head the board of governors". The Times of India. 3 May 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
15. (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2021.
16. "APJ Abdul Kalam to confer honorary doctorate to Ujjwal Nikam". DNA. PTI. 17 May 2011. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
17. "GTU honours 143 with gold medals". Ahmedabad Mirror. 17 January 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
18. Ganjapure, Vaibhav (19 March 2013). "Nagpur University considering Doctor of Literature to scientist Vijay Bhatkar". The Times of India. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
19. "100th convocation of Nagpur University (RTMNU) today". 26 September 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2017.

External links

 

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