Prof MK Surappa former Vice-Chancellor of Anna University (2018-2021), Chennai and Founding Director of Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar (2009-2015). Previously he was the Dean, Faculty of Engineering (2016-17) and Honorary Secretary, Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology (2004-2009) and President of Bharath Gyn Vigyan Samithi (Unit of people’s science movement) during the period 2001-2009.
He is also Honorary Distinguished Professor for Life at the University of Mysore.
Prof Surappa received his BSc degree from Mysore University and went on to complete his B. E (Metallurgy), M.Sc. and PhD. from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. He worked as Research Associate at Drexel University (USA), Cavendish Laboratory at University of Cambridge, UK and at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne. He returned to Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore in 1987 as Assistant Professor and rose to become Professor in the year 1998.
Prof. Surappa has made outstanding R&D contributions to the Science and Technology of Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs). For over three decades, he has pursued many innovative investigations on synthesis, processing- microstructure-property correlation and application development of MMCs based on light alloy matrices. He has published 100 research papers in peer reviewed Journals and has secured one US and 3 Indian patents.
In his role as a Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at IISc, Prof Surappa was highly instrumental in stimulating, invigorating, and amplifying the quality and rigor in the evaluation process of research output by scholars. As a Founding Director of the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, Prof Surappa played a very inspiring and a key role in catapulting a new young institution into the Top 10 of the country (NIRF Rankings 2015-16, MHRD, Government of India). As an Honorary Secretary of the Karnataka State Council for Science & Technology, his inspiring leadership had led to the Council being recognized as the top performer across the 31 State Councils in the country. His penchant passion towards creating societal benefits through Science & Technology, led to a noteworthy and a stellar implementation of a Rainwater Harvesting System in over 23,000 Government Schools across the length and breadth of the State of Karnataka. As a President of the Bharath Gyan Vigyan Samithi (Unit of “Peoples Science Movement”) he catalyzed teams to create awareness on sanitation & hygiene and enabled in eliminating the myth behind the ostensible miracles.
As Vice Chancellor of Anna University, Prof Surappa worked passionately to transform Anna University into high impactful institution. His efforts to restore the legacy and revive the University to its pre-eminent position through fair and transparent governance system are unparalleled.
In the recent years he has been examining and studying the factors contributing to sub-optimum performance of higher educational institutions in India and has been keenly understanding the eco system required to be put in place to make Indian Institutions to be more impactful.
