Professor R. Narasimhan

Often referred to as Bhisma of Computer Science and Technology in India, he made a significant contribution for the development of computer science education, research and technology in India in the early stages. After obtaining a degree in Telecommunication Engineering from Madras University in 1947, he went to the U.S.A for post-graduate work receiving an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from California Institute of Technology, and subsequently, a Ph.D. in Mathematics from Indiana University. He joined the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) Bombay, in 1954. He spent thirty-six years in TIFR retiring in 1990 as a Professor of Eminence. During the period 1954-1960, he led a team that designed and built the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Automatic Calculator (TIFRAC), the first electronic digital computer to become operational in India and used extensively by Scientists and Engineers. He spent the major part of his academic life at TIFR, building up the institute?s Computer Science and Technology Lab. He was instrumental in setting up the Computer Society of India and served as its first President. He also played a key role in the setting of then Computer Maintenance Corporation (CMC), which later became a full-fledged computer company under his chairmanship. Also, under his leadership, an autonomous unit, National Centre for Software Development and Computing Techniques (NCSDCT) was created within TIFR. He was the Director of this unit. He served as advisor to the Department of Electronics, Government of India in a variety of ways. He made seminal contributions to Computer Technology and Pattern Recognition. He pioneered the work on Syntactic Pattern Recognition area. During the latter part of his career, he turned to applying system-theoretic concepts and techniques to the study of behaviour and behavioural sciences and was deeply involved in the role of science and technology in socio-economic processing, modelling language behaviour, role of science and technology on social change and technology policy issues. He was the Indian Representative on the Council of International Federation for Information Processing (1975-86); Member, Scientific Advisory Council, Indo-French Centre for the Promotion of Advanced Research (1988-90). He was the recipient of Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship (1971-73); Homi J. Bhabha Award (UGC) (1976); Om Prakash Bhasin Foundation Award (1988) and Padma Shri (1976). He was the Fellow, Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore, Computer Society of India, and National Academy of Sceinces, Allahabad.