V. Kamakoti

Veezhinathan Kamakoti is a computer scientist who has spent his career turning chip research into real products, and now runs IIT Madras. In 2026 he was named for the Padma Shri in the field of science and engineering, from Tamil Nadu ^[1].

Career

Kamakoti was born on 21 July 1968 ^[2]. He studied computer science and engineering at Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering, then took his MS and PhD at IIT Madras in 1992 and 1995 ^[2]. After postdoctoral work at IISc Bengaluru and the Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai, he worked as a chip design engineer at ATI Research before joining the IIT Madras faculty in 2001 ^[2].

SHAKTI

He led the team that designed SHAKTI, described in his citation as India’s first indigenous microprocessor ^[2]. Chips based on it have been manufactured, and start-ups now build on its design ^[2]. He has published more than 200 papers and guided about 20 PhD students ^[2].

Director

As director of IIT Madras, he has overseen its first campus abroad, in Zanzibar, Tanzania, new admission routes for excellence in sport and fine arts, a department of medical science and technology, and student wellness programmes ^[2]. Its “IITM for All” and Vidya Shakti schemes have reached more than 7,210 village and tehsil schools in seven states ^[2].

He has served on the National Security Advisory Board, working on cyber security and telecom security policy, and supported the Aarogya Setu app during Covid-19 ^[2].