Home / Education / IIT Madras Director Bags Padma Shri for Innovation
IIT Madras Director Bags Padma Shri for Innovation
26 Jan
Summary
- Professor Kamakoti recognized with Padma Shri award for contributions.
- IIT Madras aims to incubate 100 deeptech startups annually.
- Institute offers accessible online courses without JEE entrance.
Professor V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, has been awarded the Padma Shri for 2026, recognizing his impactful work in computer science and engineering.
He champions innovation and entrepreneurship, setting ambitious targets for IIT Madras to nurture 100 deeptech startups each year and leverage the IITM Research Park's 10x program. An INR 100 crore fund is being established to support these new ventures.
Kamakoti is dedicated to making quality IIT education universally accessible, exemplified by the introduction of online Bachelor of Science courses in data science and electronic systems. These programs are open to all, without JEE, and feature flexible online learning and accessible exams.
The institute has already seen success, with 104 startups incubated in FY25 and a "patent a day" initiative leading to 417 patents filed in the same year. Kamakoti emphasizes IIT Madras's role in job creation, stating, "India wants to create jobs. And if IIT Madras doesn't create jobs, who else will?"
IIT Madras is also expanding its reach through initiatives like the IIT campus in Zanzibar and the Vidya Shakti program, which supports school education in rural areas. The institute's commitment to innovation is further evidenced by over 500 incubated companies valued at INR 53,000 crore.
