Dr. Arcot Ramachandran

Dr. Arcot Ramachandran obtained his M.S., and Ph.D degrees from Purdue University, USA. On his return to India, he joined the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore in 1950 as a faculty member in newly established Department of Power Engineering. He became head of Mechanical Engineering at Indian Institute of Science in 1957 and the head of Industrial Management in 1965.

Dr Arcot Ramachandran was invited to become the Director of Indian Institute of Technology, Madras in 1967. During his tenur, the Institute obtained a reputation as a Centre of Excellence. In 1973, he was invited to be Secreatary to Government of India in the newly established Department of Science and Technology.

Dr. Arcot was elected Chairman of the Preparatory Committee of the UN Conference on Science and Technology in 1977. In October 1978, he was appointed Under Secretary General and Executive Director of the newly established United Nations Centre for Human Settlemenets. During his tenur, the United Nations approved his initiatives viz. Observance of World Habitat Day on the first Monday of October every year, the 1987 International Year of Shelter for Homeless and the Global Strategy for Shelter with adequate shelter for all.

Dr. Arcot Ramachandran is the recipient of many national and International awards, notably the 1986 Heat Transfer Memorial Award by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the World Habitat Award in 1994 y the Building and Social Foundation of U.K. at Windsor Castle, England. He is the recipent of Honorary Doctorates in Enginnering from USA, Germany, Italy, five Indian Universities, and Honorary Fellow of I.I.Sc, the Institute of Engineers, INSA, INAE, ISAC, ASME etc.

His selected articles and lectures delivered by him have been published in two books: The Urban Challenge in 2003, and Technology, Environment and Sustainable Development in 2005.

Dr. Arcot was confered the Padma Bhushan in 2003. He is presently the Chairman of TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) New Delhi and Hon. Visiting Professor in National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore.