The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has launched two new chairs. The institute has established Professor PS Rao and Professor PK Aravindan Chairs to recognise the contributions of the professors. As part of the two new chairs, an endowment of Rs 1 Crore endowment has been raised for each chair.
IIT Madras took to its social media platform to announce the development. It said: “IIT Madras launches Professor P. S. Rao and Professor P. K. Aravindan Chairs to recognise the contributions of the esteemed professors, who have dedicated their lives to teaching and nurturing students.”
“An endowment of Rs.1 Crore has been raised for each Chair,” it added.
Professor Pulugurta Srinivasa Rao joined Civil Engineering Department of IIT Madras in 1965 and was instrumental in commissioning the Structural Engineering Laboratory, a statement on the institute's website said. The Professor has handled a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Structural Engineering. During his career at IIT Madras, the website said, Professor Rao has shouldered many additional responsibilities -- as the Head of the Structural Engineering Laboratory, HoD of Civil Engineering, Dean (ICSR), Dean (AC) and Member, BoG of IIT Madras. He was awarded the prestigious Alexander Von Humboldt Fellowship twice, it added.
Professor PK Aravindan has made significant contributions to a host of industries, in both private and Government sectors, in terms of structural design of a variety of buildings, bridges and port structures, through innovations in design and retrofit of old or damaged structures, the IIT Madras website read. He had served the institute by handling efficiently additional responsibilities as Chairman, Engineering Unit, Advisor of weaker section and foreign students.