From Left to Right: Mr Satish K (Nokia Bell Labs India Site Lead), Prof KJ Vinoy (ECE, IISc), Ms Vibha Mehra (Nokia India Country Manager), Prof Chandra Murthy (Nokia Chair, ECE, IISc) and Mr Niranth Amogh (Head of APAC Standardisation Leadership, Nokia)
The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) announced the appointment of Professor Chandra Murthy as the first recipient of the Nokia-supported Chair Professorship in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Communications. The Chair will advance pioneering research in AI and next-generation communication systems, including 5G and 6G technologies.
Established in 2025 with an endowment from Nokia Solutions and Networks India, the Nokia Chair Professorship recognises distinguished faculty members conducting frontier research within the Division of Electrical, Electronics and Computer Sciences (EECS) at IISc. Each term of the Chair is awarded for a period of three years, following IISc’s established selection procedures. The Chair Professorship will serve as a platform for high-impact research and technology development. It will also create opportunities for collaborative projects and knowledge exchange between academia and industry.
Chandra Murthy, Professor at the Department of Electrical Communication Engineering (ECE), IISc, has been selected as the first awardee of the Chair. “It is a great honor to receive the Nokia Chair Professorship,” he said. “The recognition includes an annual research grant that will support research activities in the ECE department at IISc. I look forward to advancing impactful research under the Chair in the coming years.”
Rajesh Sundaresan, Dean, Division of Electrical, Electronics and Computer Sciences (EECS), IISc, said: “This Nokia Chair Professorship brings together the enduring strengths of Nokia Bell Labs and IISc in telecommunication systems research. Bell Labs, through its landmark contributions, continues to shape modern telecommunications and global connectivity. Prof Chandra Murthy’s distinguished scholarship in Bayesian sparse signal recovery, energy harvesting communications, multiuser MIMO, and 5G-and-beyond wireless systems makes him an outstanding choice to advance this partnership on telecom innovation and research.”
Vibha Mehra, India Country Manager, Nokia, said: “At Nokia, we believe that close collaboration between industry and academia is essential to advance the next generation of communication technologies. Through this Chair Professorship at IISc, we are proud to support research and talent development in areas including AI, 5G, 6G and beyond. This initiative reflects our commitment towards strengthening India’s research ecosystem and the advancement of technologies that will define the future of connectivity.”
The Nokia Chair Professorship at IISc underscores a shared vision to advance research in communication technologies. The initiative aligns closely with national priorities such as Digital India, Make in India, and the development of India’s research capabilities in strategic and emerging technologies, including next-generation telecom systems and AI.
About IISc
The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) was established in 1909 by a visionary partnership between the industrialist Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, the Mysore royal family, and the Government of India. Over the last 117 years, IISc has become India’s premier institute for advanced scientific and technological research and education. Its mandate is “to provide for advanced instruction and to conduct original investigations in all branches of knowledge as are likely to promote the material and industrial welfare of India.” In 2018, IISc was selected as an Institution of Eminence (IoE) by the Government of India, and it consistently figures among the top Indian institutions in world university rankings.
About Nokia
Nokia is a global leader in connectivity for the AI era. With expertise across fixed, mobile, and transport networks, powered by the innovation of Nokia Bell Labs, we’re advancing connectivity to secure a brighter world.
Follow us on social media
LinkedIn X Instagram Facebook YouTube
Contact:
IISc Office of Communications | news@iisc.ac.in
