Prof. Vaidyeswaran Rajaraman
Prof. Vaidyeswaran Rajaraman, a distinguished faculty member at IIT Kanpur, passed away in Nov. 2025. Prof. Rajaraman will be remembered as one of the foremost architects of computer science education in India. He joined the Department of Electrical Engineering in 1963 and played a key role in shaping the institute’s early computing curriculum. In 1965, with the encouragement of Prof. H. K. Kesavan and in collaboration with his colleagues, he introduced an M.Tech. programme with Computer Science as an option; marking the first time the subject was offered as an academic discipline in India. His vision and leadership laid the foundation for computer science education in the country. He was a recipient of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, Om Prakash Bhasin Award, Homi Bhabha Prize, and the Padma Bhushan, and inspired countless students and colleagues through his humility, clarity of thought, and passion for teaching.
Leave a condolenceMessages of remembrance:
- Mohammad Rais (PhD/HSS/1985)May the departed soul Rest in Peace. His book have been source of inspiration in building initial skills in computer science.
- Durga Maheswara Reddy Lingala (MT/CHE/1994)I read the first computer programming written by Prof. Raja Raman, in 1988, Fortran& Pascal. Later , I used a great facility of Computer lab at IIT K It is great experience and knowledge he shared to us
- Akalank Killedar (EE)I owe by progress in computing field to Dr. Rajaraman's guidance & his manner of teaching via classes and books on the subject . In fact, I owe my first job, implementing 3rd pay commission's report in the payroll department of IIT Kanpur...an exercise in Fortran programming, to his classes in Fortran programming. A very soft spoken man of few words, I learnt how to be precise in one's spoken/written language. He was one of the very few people who left a lasting impression on me.
- Niraj Kumar Jain (BT/EE/1976)Dr Rajaraman had a big influence on my years at IIT Kanpur. He was learned, wise, kindly and above all wanted to educate all of us students. He was my B Tech Project adviser so I was very fortunate to interact with him frequently. Above all, we are all blessed in that after his studies in the US he came back to IIT Kanpur to teach. It made the institute, and the country, richer in many ways.
- Ajay Jain (BT/1970)Geat Teacher.
- Suban Krishnamoorthy (MT/CS/1972)I have known Dr. Rajaraman as my professor in my M.Tech program at IIT, Kanpur during 1970-72. I was blessed to be his student. He was the best CS professor I ever had.
I had the pleasure of meeting him again once for a short time.
I followed his footstep and became a CS professor myself. I keep him as a reference to excel in my teaching. However, I realized how challenging it is to be a great professor like him.
I am deeply saddened to hear his departure to the almighty.
I pray for his soul to rest in peace with God.
My deepest condolences to his beloved family.
Wish we all cherish with his sweet memories.
I write this with deep sadness at the passing of Prof. Rajaraman, a true pioneer of computer science education in India and one of the earliest builders of IIT Kanpur’s academic legacy. As an IIT Kanpur CSE BTech student and now a faculty in the same department, I feel a profound sense of gratitude for his vision in initiating one of the first formal Computer Science programmes in the country and for shaping the very discipline that now defines our education and careers. Even though I never had the privilege of being his direct student, every course outline, lab tradition, and academic standard in our department carries a part of his immense contribution. His work in establishing computer science as an academic field in India, his leadership at IIT Kanpur and later at IISc, and his many influential textbooks have guided generations of teachers and students alike. It is because of pathbreakers like him that students like me can dream, learn, and innovate in this field today.
I convey my heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues, and countless students whose lives he touched. May his soul rest in peace, and may we honour his memory by upholding the standards of excellence and integrity that he exemplified throughout his life.