L. M. Patnaik is a distinguished Indian computer scientist and academic leader whose contributions over five decades have had a profound impact on computer science and engineering research in India. He received his Ph.D. (1978) in Real-Time Systems and his D.Sc. (1989) in Computer Systems and Architectures from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru. He served as the founding Vice Chancellor of the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT), Ministry of Defence, Government of India (2008–2011). He is currently a NASI Senior Scientist and Adjunct Professor at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru. Previously, he was a professor at IISc, where he guided extensive research efforts in areas such as high‑performance computing, parallel and distributed systems, computer architecture, VLSI design, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science. Over his career, Prof. Patnaik has authored more than 1,300 publications and has supervised numerous doctoral and master’s students, significantly shaping advanced research and talent development in India.
Nitin Auluck is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Ropar (IIT Ropar), where he currently serves as the Head of the Department. Since joining IIT Ropar in 2010, he has played a pivotal role in shaping academic programs, strengthening research culture, and mentoring graduate students. He completed his B.Tech. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Poojya Dodappa Appa College of Engineering, Gulbarga, and earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Cincinnati, USA, in 2005. His research focuses on distributed and large-scale computing systems with an emphasis on scheduling, resource management, and performance optimization in distributed, fog, and edge computing environments. Prof. Auluck actively contributes to research collaborations, editorial boards, international program committees, and academic leadership initiatives in the areas of distributed systems and intelligent computing.
D. Antony Louis Piriyakumar is a Professor in the Department of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at Cambridge Institute of Technology, Bengaluru, where he has served as Dean (Research & Development) and Head of the AIML Department since March 2020. He brings over 25 years of combined experience across academia, industry, and research organizations. Prior to his current role, he spent 13 years at Siemens Corporate Technology, Bengaluru, where he held positions in research and management. His research interests span artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, intellectual property management, and emerging technologies. Dr. Piriyakumar is a registered Indian patent agent and holds WIPO certifications in patent search and drafting. He is a senior member of IEEE, a member of ACM, and was nominated as a Distinguished Visiting Professor under the AICTE–INAE scheme (2018–2023).
