New Delhi: BITS Pilani has announced that its Group Vice Chancellor, Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, has been selected by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) for the prestigious J. C. Bose Grant, marking the third consecutive time he has received the honour.

With this latest award, Prof. Rao reaches the maximum permissible tenure of 15 years under the J. C. Bose programme. The grant provides ₹1.25 crore in research funding to support cutting-edge research in the field of nanoelectronics.

The J. C. Bose Grant is one of India's most prestigious research recognitions, awarded to senior scientists and engineers who have demonstrated sustained excellence in research. Each additional five-year term is granted only after a rigorous evaluation of the recipient's research achievements during the preceding tenure.

Prof. Rao is widely recognised for his outstanding contributions to science and engineering. He is a recipient of several prestigious honours, including the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, the Infosys Prize, and the IEEE EDS Education Award. He is also a Fellow of the IEEE, The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE), and all three major Indian science academies—INSA, IASc, and NASI.

Over the course of his career, Prof. Rao has published more than 500 research papers and holds over 50 patents, including 20 granted US patents. Fifteen of these patents have been licensed to industry, while technologies developed by his research group for CMOS System-on-Chip applications are now used in hundreds of millions of integrated circuits worldwide.

In addition to his academic achievements, Prof. Rao has co-founded two successful deep-tech startups—Nanosniff Technologies and Proximal SoilSens Technologies—which have successfully translated laboratory innovations into commercial products.

The recognition is particularly significant as Prof. Rao has continued to make impactful research contributions while holding key leadership positions, first as Director of IIT Delhi and currently as Group Vice Chancellor of BITS Pilani.

Congratulating Prof. Rao on the achievement, BITS Pilani said the award reflects his exceptional commitment to scientific excellence and innovation. The institution expressed confidence that he and his research team will continue to advance research that delivers meaningful scientific, industrial, and societal impact.