(Profile) UPSC Member: Professor E . Balagurusamy

Prof. E . Balagurusamy

Prof. E Balagurusamy is currently Member, Union Public Service Commission. He was earlier Chairman of Consortium for Educational Communications (a Government of India Society for implementing Multimedia Educational Systems in Higher Education) and Vice- Chancellor of Anna University, Chennai (arguably the largest technological university with over 300 engineering institutions under its academic guidance and control.

He holds ME (Hons.) in Electrical Engineering, Ph.D in Systems Engineering, both from IIT, Roorkee and a Diploma in Education from U.K. He is also a Fellow of Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers and a Fellow of Institution of Engineers (India).

He has devoted himself to promoting technical education, particularly computer education and training, in the country for the last three decades in all his various endeavors. His earlier assignments include distinguished stints in BHEL, NIIT, Technical Teachers’ Training Institute, Bhopal, Institute of Public Enterprise, Hyderabad, PSG Institute of Management, Coimbatore and  Mahaveer Academy of Technology and Sciences, Bangalore.

EBG, as he is fondly referred to, was the IT Advisor to the Andhra Pradesh Government for ten years. He regarded IT as a tool for massive social and economic transformation. As an Advisor, during 1980’s and early 1990’s he took computer education to rural masses by setting up IT training and education centers in major towns of Andhra Pradesh. He also initiated many steps to implement IT applications in government administration and public undertakings. His initiatives became the foundation stones for E-Governance projects in Andhra Pradesh. He also served as a consultant to Punjab and Rajasthan Governments on Science and Technology Development during 1986 and 1987.

EBG is regarded as a creator and institution builder. He has established a large number of institutions and computer centers and serves on the boards of a number of Universities and Organisastions, both in India and abroad. He was one of the founders of NIIT Limited & founder Director of Andhra Pradesh Technological Services Ltd. He served as a Consultant to the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation on ‘Expert Systems’ from 1991 to 2005. Prepared project documents for establishing Rajiv Gandhi National University of Computer Sciences at Delhi (1994) and Pubjab Institute of Information Technology at Chandigarh (1987).

A prolific writer, he has authored more than 35 books on IT and computers, many of them are being prescribed as texts in Universities and Colleges throughout India. His books are very popular among students and teachers alike for their unique and distinctive learning methodology and simple writing style. Some of his books have been translated into Hindi, Mandarin, Spanish and Russian languages. He is considered as the Asia’s  leading IT author.

Innovation is his way of life. He believes in doing things differently rather than doing different things. In all his work he has introduced new approaches, new systems and a new philosophy in imparting technical and management education. He obtained a Ph.D degree in 1976 for the innovative and pioneering work on Reliability Engineering (when the subject was at its infancy) in a record time of 14 months (from IIT, Roorkee).

Prof. Balagurusamy is known for his philosophy that “skill-based teaching begin with those skilled in teaching”. A strong patriot, he says that our IT talent should be retained within the country to help develop Indian industry and economy. He has always been keen on including ethics and a value based approach to technical education and has been inculcating these into the next generation by leading an exemplary life (practices what he preaches).

Prof. Balagurusamy has widely travelled in India and abroad to attend meetings, seminars and conferences. He has visited UK, USA, Europe, Singapore, China, Thailand, Mexico and UAE.

His main areas of professional interest include Object-oriented Technology, Expert Systems, Total Quality Management, Business Process Re-engineering, Technology Management, E-Business, E-Governance, Management of Change and Strategic Management.

A philanthropist, he has established EBG Foundation, a Charitable Trust, to serve the socially and economically deprived sections of the society. To recognize and reward talents among the young students is one of the many objectives of the Foundation.

He is a proud recipient of many awards and honours, and to cite a few: Chancellor’s Best PG Student Award (1974). Khosla Research Award (1975), Distinguished Leadership Award (1988), Man of the Year Award (1992), Distinguished PSG Alumni Award (1994), World Lifetime Achievement Award (1996), Outstanding Fellow Award of Institution of Engineers (1996). Author of the Year Award (1998), Rashtria Ekta Award (1999), Vocational Excellence Award (2000), Bharat Nirman Excellence Award (2000), Bharat Vikas Award (2001), For the Sake of Honour Award (2002), Seva Ratna Award (2003), Vande Mataram Award (2004), Deed Award (2004), Higher Education and Development (Head) Award (2004), Life Achievement Award (2004), Nominated for World Technology Award (2004), Nominated for Padma Bhushan Award (2004) and (2005) by the Govt. of Tamil Nadu, Achievement Award (2004), Dr. Meghnad Saha Award (2005), Bharat Madha Fellowship (2005), and Viswa Vidyacharya, 2007.

In recognition of his accomplishments, he has been listed in the Directory of International Who’s Who of Intellectuals (UK) and the Directory of Distinguished Leaders (USA).