IISc Alumnus Endows Chair Professorships to Boost Medical Research

SR Venkatramanan and Wife Establish Endowment in Memory of His Parents

In a significant philanthropic gesture, IISc alumnus SR Venkatramanan and his wife, Usha Venkatramanan, have endowed two Chair Professorships at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) to advance medical research. The “Usha and SR Venkatramanan Family Endowment” will support young faculty members at the Assistant Professor level in the upcoming postgraduate medical school at IISc. The chairs will focus on research in endocrinology and nephrology, and are named in memory of Venkatramanan's parents, SS Ramaswamy and M Seethalakshmi.

Supporting Cutting-Edge Research at IISc G Rangarajan, Director of IISc, expressed gratitude for the donation, noting that the endowment would help foster innovative research in critical areas of healthcare. “The endowment will enable us to host and encourage exceptional young researchers driving advances in medical research,” Rangarajan stated. He added that the contribution would bolster the institute's efforts to establish a postgraduate medical school along with the Bagchi-Parthasarathy Hospital, aimed at training the next generation of physician-scientists.

Focus on Diabetes and Kidney Research Venkatramanan highlighted his motivation for the contribution, emphasizing the urgent need for solutions to Type-1 diabetes and kidney diseases. “Children with Type-1 diabetes endure daily struggles, constantly fearing life-threatening hypoglycemia. We must find a cure for this disease, not just more treatments,” he said. He also underscored the debilitating impact of impaired kidneys, which force individuals to rely on dialysis, draining their energy and quality of life. Venkatramanan expressed hope that stem cell research, supported by IISc’s excellence, could pave the way for breakthroughs in these areas.

Legacy of SR Venkatramanan SR Venkatramanan completed his BE in Electrical Technology and MTech in Physical Engineering from IISc in 1975 and 1977, respectively. He played a pivotal role in India’s early space missions while working on the Rohini/SLV-3 project at ISRO, which set the stage for India's Chandrayaan missions. His career also spans senior engineering and leadership roles at global tech companies, including AT&T Bell Labs, Sun Microsystems, Dell Technologies, Yahoo, eBay, and PayPal. Currently based in California, he is the founder of NetCracker Systems, specializing in performance and scalability solutions in computer systems.

Facilitated Through IISc Foundation The endowment was made possible through the IISc Foundation, a U.S.-based non-profit organization that supports research and infrastructure development at the institute. The foundation enables alumni and other patrons to contribute to the growth of IISc’s research capabilities, ensuring that innovative projects receive sustained support. This initiative represents a crucial step in IISc’s plans to expand its medical research capabilities and enhance its role in tackling some of the most pressing health challenges, with a focus on translating groundbreaking research into real-world solutions.