Kris Gopalakrishnan
{{Short description|Indian billionaire}}
{{resume-like|date=May 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Senapathy "Kris" Gopalakrishnan
| image = Kris Gopalakrishnan - World Economic Forum on India 2012.jpg
| caption = Gopalakrishnan at the World Economic Forum on India in 2012
| birth_name = Senapathy Gopalakrishnan
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1955|04|05|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater = {{Unbulleted_list|Government Arts College, Thiruvananthapuram|University College Thiruvananthapuram|Indian Institute of Technology Madras}}
| education = {{Unbulleted_list|Master of Science|Master of Technology}}
| occupation = Executive vice chairman, Infosys
| years_active = 1981–2014
| spouse = Sudha Gopalakrishnan
| children = 1
}}
Senapathy “Kris” Gopalakrishnan is an Indian businessman and the chairman of Axilor Ventures, a startup accelerator.{{cite web|title=Investors – Axilor Ventures:: Axilor Ventures is an Active Seed Fund|url=https://www.axilor.com/investors/|access-date=2021-06-13|language=en-US}} He is one of the co-founders of Infosys, having served as its CEO and managing director from 2007 to 2011 and vice chairman from 2011 to 2014.{{cite web|title=Infosys - S. Gopalakrishnan: Co-founder {{!}} Management Profiles|url=https://www.infosys.com/about/management-profiles/gopalakrishnan.html|access-date=2021-06-13|website=infosys.com}}
Recognized as a global business and technology thought leader, he was voted the top CEO (IT Services category) in Institutional Investor's inaugural ranking of Asia's Top Executives and selected as one of the winners of the second Asian Corporate Director Recognition Awards by Corporate Governance Asia in 2011. He was elected president of India's apex industry chamber Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for 2013–14 and served as one of the co-chairs of the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2014.
In January 2011, the Government of India awarded Gopalakrishnan the Padma Bhushan, the country's third-highest civilian honour.
Kris serves on the board of governors of Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, is the chairman of the Council of Indian Institute of Science, and is the chairman of the board of governors of International Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore. He is the chairman of the Vision Group on Information Technology of Karnataka Government, the chairman of RBIH (Reserve Bank of India Innovation Hub), and the chairman of CII Centre of Excellence in Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Startups (CIES). He is also President of Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum.{{Cite web |title=SCTIMST Governing Body |url=https://www.sctimst.ac.in/About%20SCTIMST/Governing%20Body}}
Kris is the chairman of Itihaasa Research and Digital which publishes the history of the Indian IT industry as {{cite web|url=https://itihaasa.com/|title=itihaasa.com}} microsite as well as reports on industrial and academic research in India.{{cite web|title=Home {{!}} Itihaasa|url=https://itihaasa.com/|access-date=2021-06-13|website=itihaasa.com}} He is the Co-author of Against All Odds – The IT Story of India.
Kris invests in promoting research on Brain sciences, ageing ageing-related disorders as well as investing in start-ups and start-up ecosystems. His family philanthropy is Pratiksha Trust and his investment arm is Pratithi.
Kris holds master’s degrees in physics and computer science from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. [https://www.inae.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Award-Booklet-2021.pdf Kris is a Fellow of Indian National Academy of Engineers (INAE)] and an Honorary Fellow of Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers (IETE) of India.
As per Forbes list of India’s 100 richest tycoons, dated OCTOBER 09, 2024, Senapathy Gopalakrishnan is ranked 73rd with a net worth of $4.35 Billion.{{Cite web |title=India's 100 Richest |url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/india-billionaires/}}
Early life
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=April 2024}}
Gopalakrishnan was born in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala on 5 April 1955. He studied at the Government Model Boys Higher Secondary School.
He obtained an M.Sc. in Physics in 1977 and M.Tech. in Computer Science in 1979, both from IIT Madras. He started his career as a software engineer with Patni Computer Systems, Mumbai, in 1979.
Positions held
Kris Gopalakrishnan has served in leadership roles in several research/educational and industry/startup institutions and forums.
=Positions in research / educational institutions and bodies=
- Chairing the governing board of India's {{currency|3660|INR}} crore National Mission on Cyber-Physical System Technologies{{cite web|title=National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS)|url=https://nmicps.gov.in/Home/ICPSNMHOME/MGB|access-date=2021-06-13|website=nmicps.gov.in}}
- Board of Governors of Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology{{cite web|date=2011-06-14|title=Board of Governors|url=https://www.oist.jp/board-governors|access-date=2021-06-13|website=Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University OIST|language=en}}
- [https://iisc.ac.in/about/administration/council/ Chairman, The Council, IISc Bangalore]
- Chairman, Board of Governors of IIIT, Bangalore{{cite web|title=Mr. S Gopalakrishnan Chairman|url=https://www.iiitb.ac.in/governing-body/mr-s-gopalakrishnan-chairman|access-date=2021-06-13|website=iiitb.ac.in}}
- Member of DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance's Strategic Advisory Council
- Nanyang Professor of the Practice at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore from 1 June 2018{{cite web|title=GAIN Distinguished Speaker Series|url=https://www.ntu.edu.sg/research/research-hub/events/detail/2021/05/04/default-calendar/gain-distinguished-speaker-series|access-date=2021-06-13|website=Research|language=en}}
- Trustee of the Infosys Science Foundation{{cite web|title=Infosys Prize - About Us|url=https://www.infosys-science-foundation.com/about.asp|access-date=2021-06-13|website=infosys-science-foundation.com}}
=Positions in industry / government institutions and bodies=
- Chairman of Vision Group on IT for Government of Karnataka
- President of the Confederation of Indian Industries (2013–14)
- Co-chair of the World Economic Forum in Davos (2014)
- Member of the United Nations Global Compact Board (2012–15){{cite web|title=Infosys - Kris Gopalakrishnan in the UN Global Compact Board|url=https://www.infosys.com/newsroom/features/2012/kris-un-global-compact-board.html|access-date=2021-06-13|website=infosys.com}}
- Chairperson of India's committee on Non-Personal Data GovernanceMeitY Office Memorandum No. 24(4)/2019-CLES dated 13.09.2019
- First Chairperson of the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub{{cite web|last=ETBFSI.com|title=Kris Gopalakrishnan appointed first chairperson of Reserve Bank Innovation Hub - ET BFSI|url=https://bfsi.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/fintech/kris-gopalakrishnan-appointed-first-chairperson-of-reserve-bank-innovation-hub/79261673|access-date=2021-06-13|website=ETBFSI.com|language=en}}
- Chairman of CII Centre of Excellence for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Start-ups{{cite web|title=CII Start up Centre|url=https://www.cii.in/startup-centre.aspx|access-date=2021-06-13|website=cii.in}} and former chairman of CII Start-up Council{{cite web|title=CII|url=https://www.cii.in/PressreleasesDetail.aspx?enc=/q61PNgZtRqYhfP4GujvP9sU0QCQ9aWOpiIGTGX+Jg0=|access-date=2021-06-13|website=cii.in}}
Awards and honours
- In 2011, Government of India awarded him with Padma Bhushan which is India's third highest civilian honour{{cite web|title=Press Information Bureau|url=https://pib.gov.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=69364|access-date=2021-06-13|website=pib.gov.in}}
- Conferred with an honorary doctorate by the University of Kerala in 2019{{Cite news|date=2019-08-21|title=KU to confer honorary doctorates on Narlikar, Kris Gopalakrishnan|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/ku-to-confer-honorary-doctorates-on-narlikar-kris-gopalakrishnan/article29185917.ece|access-date=2021-06-13|issn=0971-751X}}
- Thinkers 50 (2009){{cite web|title=Infosys - Kris Gopalakrishnan recognized as a Global Business Thinker|url=https://www.infosys.com/newsroom/features/2009/kris-gopalakrishnan-thinkers50.html|access-date=2021-06-13|website=infosys.com}}
Philanthropy
=Support for research and entrepreneurship in India=
Through Axilor Ventures, Kris has invested in innumerable startups and venture funds. He has used some of his wealth - as of May 30, 2023, according to Forbes, estimated at $2.9 billion, towards causes such as health research, specifically brain science as well as technology-driven innovation that has a direct impact on society.{{cite web | url=https://www.forbesindia.com/article/take-one-big-story-of-the-day/why-kris-gopalakrishnan-is-spending-hundreds-of-crores-to-study-the-human-brain/85249/1 | title=Why Kris Gopalakrishnan is Spending Hundreds of Crores to Study the Human Brain }}
Kris is supporting and guiding several India-focused initiatives, through his leadership roles in various Government committees/bodies and philanthropic initiatives, in the following areas:
=Brain science and computer science=
Kris has contributed {{currency|225|INR}} crores to develop a Centre for Brain Research at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore. He is the donor of the largest philanthropic gift ever received by the 105-year-old institute from an individual.{{cite web|agency=TNN|date=Jan 31, 2014|title=Infosys co-founder gives IISc Rs 225 crore {{!}} India News - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Infosys-co-founder-gives-IISc-Rs-225-crore/articleshow/29621344.cms|access-date=2021-06-13|website=The Times of India|language=en}} He has contributed an additional {{INR|60}} crores to set up distinguished visiting chairs in Neurocomputing and Data Science at the IISc Bengaluru and Indian Institute of Technology Madras of Chennai.{{cite web|title=Infosys Co-founder Sets Up 3 Chairs at IISc With Rs 10 Crore Corpus|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2015/jun/23/infosys-co-founder-sets-up-3-chairs-at-iisc-with-rs-10-crore-corpus-773232.html|access-date=2021-06-13|website=The New Indian Express|date=23 June 2015 }}https://joyofgiving.alumni.iitm.ac.in/data/utilreports/Shri-Kris-Report.pdf IIT Madras website, Joy Of Giving section, Impact of Giving by Kris Gopalakrishnan, access-date=2022-09-30
Another project Gopalakrishnan has funded at IIT Madras is the "Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre", which he says is the first of its kind in the world. The centre is undertaking the cellular-level image mapping of the brain.{{cite web | url=https://www.forbesindia.com/article/take-one-big-story-of-the-day/why-kris-gopalakrishnan-is-spending-hundreds-of-crores-to-study-the-human-brain/85249/1 | title=Why Kris Gopalakrishnan is Spending Hundreds of Crores to Study the Human Brain }}{{cite web | url=https://acr.iitm.ac.in/iitm_in_news/iit-madras-launches-sudha-gopalakrishnan-brain-centre-to-map-human-brains-at-cellular-level/ | title=Office of Alumni & Corporate Relations }}https://iitm.humanbrain.in/
Kris is chairing the governing board of India's {{INR|3660}} crore National Mission on Cyber-Physical System Technologies which is overseeing the establishment of 25 hubs related to CPS and allied technologies.
=Healthcare=
Kris has furthered ageing research in India through the Srinivasapura Aging Neuro Senescence and Cognition Study,{{cite web|last=India|first=The Hans|date=2020-02-11|title=Gene-mapping project can transform country's healthcare|url=https://www.thehansindia.com/editors-desk/gene-mapping-project-can-transform-countrys-healthcare-604235|access-date=2021-06-13|website=thehansindia.com|language=en}} and GenomeIndia, a pan-India initiative focused on Whole Genome Sequencing of 10,000 individuals from representative populations across India.{{cite web|title=Indian Institute of Science|url=https://www.iisc.ac.in/events/genomeindia-initiative-launched-to-unlock-indias-dna/|access-date=2021-06-13|language=en}} He is also supporting the Accelerator Program for Discovery in Brain Disorders using Stem Cells at the National Centre for Biological Sciences in Bangalore, Karnataka.
He is on the Board of Swasth Digital Health Foundation, a not-for-profit consortium charting an innovative healthcare model in India.{{cite web|title=Swasth.app|url=https://www.swasth.app/team|access-date=2021-06-13|website=Swasth.app|language=en}}
Other activities
Kris instituted the Gopalakrishnan – NTU Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowships, focused on Industry 4.0, Smart Cities.{{cite web|agency=PTI|date=Jun 1, 2018|title=PM Modi Singapore visit: PM Narendra Modi visits NTU in Singapore, interacts with students {{!}} India News - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/pm-narendra-modi-visits-ntu-in-singapore-interacts-with-students/articleshow/64414091.cms|access-date=2021-06-13|website=The Times of India|language=en}}
He supports young researchers in India through the Pratiksha Trust Young Investigators Award at IISc, Pratiksha Trust Scholarship and travel grants for Winter Schools on Quantitative Systems Biology at ICTS, and the Young Faculty Recognition Award and Travel Grants at IIT Madras.{{cite web|title=Indian Institute of Science|url=https://www.iisc.ac.in/events/lectures-by-pratiksha-trust-young-investigators/|access-date=2021-06-13|language=en}}{{cite web|url=https://www.icts.res.in/program/qsb2019 |title=ICTP - ICTS Winter School on Quantitative Systems Biology |publisher=ICTS |date= |accessdate=2022-09-30}}
Kris established the Gopalakrishnan – Deshpande Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at IIT Madras in August 2017, to be able to solve India's society's problems by applying the full capabilities of the scientific and technological knowledge of Indian academic institutions through world class innovation and entrepreneurship.{{cite web|title=GDC - Gopalakrishnan-Deshpande Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship|url=http://gdc-iitm.org/pages/our-vision|access-date=2021-06-13|website=gdc-iitm.org}}
Kris supports the nurturing of livelihoods of farmers through programs like the Naandi Foundation{{cite web|title=Naandi|url=https://www.naandi.org/board-of-directors/|access-date=2021-06-13|website=naandi.org}} and Centre for Collective Development.
He has supported several interesting history projects – such as the History of Indian IT through itihaasa.com and a research project on History of Mathematics in India at IIT Gandhinagar.{{cite web|title=Home|url=https://sites.iitgn.ac.in/homi/|access-date=2021-06-13|website=sites.iitgn.ac.in}}
References
{{commons category}}
{{Reflist}}{{Infosys}}{{PadmaBhushanAwardRecipients 2010–19}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gopalakrishnan, Kris}}
Category:Businesspeople from Thiruvananthapuram
Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in trade and industry
Category:Indian computer scientists
Category:20th-century Indian physicists