Prof. Vaidyeswaran Rajaraman, legendary father-figure of Indian computing, passed away on November 8, 2025, at the age of 92. Remarkably, he was technically active right up to the end, penning just last year a historical book on 72 seminal events in the evolution of modern computer science. This was the latest in a series of twenty-four expository textbooks written over six decades of pioneering pedagogical contributions. Moreover, only a few months ago, in June, he delivered in what turned out to be his last public speech, a singularly apt introduction to an NCERT seminar on relational database systems.
Prof. Rajaraman’s academic career began with schooling in New Delhi during the 1930s and 40s, which coincided with the gaining momentum of the Indian independence struggle. He was strongly impacted by the prevalent Gandhian ideology, regularly attending the evening prayer sessions conducted by the Mahatma. He later credited its abiding influence for his return to India from the United States in the early 60s. Although considered an utterly foolhardy action by his American mentors, it epitomized his penchant for fiercely independent thinking.
After completing his bachelor’s degree from St. Stephen’s, the young Rajaraman joined the graduate program in the ECE department at IISc in 1952. Here, he helped build India’s first analog computer, using basic operational amplifiers, under the guidance of the celebrated Prof. Vincent Rideout, visiting from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Then, after a government-sponsored master’s at MIT in the US, he rejoined Prof. Rideout at Wisconsin for a PhD on Adaptive Control Theory, which he completed in 1961, followed by a year-long stint on the UW statistics faculty.
Prof. Rajaraman joined the EE faculty of the then fledgling IIT Kanpur in 1962. Due to the paucity of faculty, he even taught a course on carpentry(!), symbolizing his breadth of interests and understanding. This all-round ability was also reflected in his wide-ranging textbooks, which covered the spectrum of computer organization, programming languages, information systems, parallel computing, supercomputing, and history of computing. At Kanpur, he spearheaded the setting up of India’s first master’s program in computer science, followed by the doctoral degree, and finally, the coveted BTech course in 1978. He also ideated the MCA scheme to provide science and commerce graduates with job opportunities in the nascent software industry, showcasing his uncanny vision in anticipating industrial and economic transformations.
Prof. Rajaraman returned to his alma mater, IISc, in 1982, and created SERC, the flagship supercomputing centre in India, gifted by the Indian Government to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee (75th year) of IISc. He guided more than 30 PhD students at IIT Kanpur and IISc, and several of them continue to serve as the first generation computer science faculty at higher educational institutes across India. Post retirement in 1994, he continued to be an Honorary Professor in IISc, and concurrently was the IBM Professor of Information Technology chair at JNCASR, a position he occupied until 2001. Thanks to his extraordinary and exemplary contributions, Prof. Rajaraman received a plethora of recognitions during his illustrious career, notably including the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar award in 1976, the Padma Bhushan in 1998, and the Fellowship of all four Indian science and engineering academies.
The Indian computing fraternity in general, and IISc in particular, owes an incalculable debt of gratitude to Prof. V Rajaraman, an inspirational educator and venerated scientist who embodied the motto of “simple living, high thinking”.
A memorial meeting will be held on 22 November 2025 at 11:00 AM in the 4th floor auditorium of SERC.
