Prof Sandeep Shukla named new director of IIITH, Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Prof Sandeep Shukla has been named the new director of the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad (IIITH).

He will succeed Prof P.J. Narayanan, who is stepping down after 12 years.

Prof Narayanan’s 12-Year Tenure

Prof Narayanan took over as Director in April 2013. Over the past decade, he has been credited with expanding the institute’s research footprint, strengthening interdisciplinary programs, and enhancing industry and government collaborations.

Reflecting on his time, Prof Narayanan said, “Leading IIIT Hyderabad for over 12 years has been a great honour. During this period, the institute has experienced extraordinary growth, doubling our student admissions, graduations, and faculty numbers. Even more significant is the expansion of our research output, reflected in a substantial increase in publications, patents, and innovative solutions.”

He highlighted IIITH’s standing in artificial intelligence research: “This commitment to research excellence has led to IIIT Hyderabad being ranked #1 in India and the top 100 worldwide for research in AI. The Kohli Centre on Intelligent Systems (KCIS), generously endowed by TCS, has been instrumental in this success.”

Prof Narayanan also pointed to the institute’s contributions beyond academia. “Beyond the lab, we lay a special focus on research translation to address pressing societal challenges. This approach has driven impactful projects such as our contributions to the Bhashini speech-to-speech translation effort, Telugu Wikipedia, modernizing UIDAI’s matching and deduplication systems, road safety initiatives to reduce accidents, virtual labs for college students, and many others. We are expanding the effort to develop technology solutions for healthcare in partnership with several hospitals, NGOs, and governments. IIITH also played a key role in the founding of T-Hub while simultaneously scaling our incubator. The Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) set up by DST at IIIT Hyderabad has been a big driver of applied research and skill development.”

He credited the community for the institute’s growth, adding, “These accomplishments are a testament to the collective vision, hard work, and deep collaboration of our faculty, students, staff, alumni, and partners. I have every confidence that under the leadership of Prof. Shukla, IIIT Hyderabad will continue and expand the efforts in research and innovation.”

Prof Sandeep Shukla Takes Charge

Prof Shukla, an internationally recognised expert in cyber-physical systems, formal verification, and cyber security, joins IIITH from IIT Kanpur. There, he served as Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and co-director of the National Interdisciplinary Centre for Cyber Security and Cyber Defence of Critical Infrastructure. He is a Fellow of IEEE and a recipient of several awards for research and education.

Expressing his vision, Prof Shukla said, “I am extremely honoured and excited that IIIT Hyderabad is entrusting me with the responsibility of their next leader. Following the wonderful work done by prior directors, Prof. Rajeev Sangal and Prof. P. J. Narayanan, is a tough act, and I hope that I can rise to the challenge. I see this as my task for the next several years to lead the institute with the cooperation of all the stakeholders and the campus community to newer heights.”

He also outlined his priorities: “One of my priorities will be to build a world-class cybersecurity research centre, extending the existing strengths already developed here. Other areas I would like to explore to develop are cybercrime investigation research methodologies and tools, development of Web3 and Blockchain-based systems, use of GenAI and agentic AI in cybersecurity, 5G and 6G communication, and resilient telecom infrastructure, new age learning and teaching research with emerging technologies, technology policy research, etc. Broadening technology skill-based education through remote programs is also something to be explored, given that as a country we need to skill more people in cutting-edge technologies beyond the scope of regular college education. The goal would be to further the reputation of IIIT Hyderabad as a place to go to in several more areas of knowledge and technology.”

Governing Council’s Endorsement

Prof Ashok Jhunjhunwala, Chairman of IIITH’s Governing Council, welcomed the transition: “As Sandeep steps in as director to lead IIITH, it is poised to take up greater challenges to serve the nation and prepare its students to make a more significant contribution to society.”

Looking Ahead

The leadership transition marks the beginning of a new chapter for IIIT Hyderabad as it continues its mission to advance research, nurture future-ready talent, and create technology-led solutions for societal development.