Rajeev Ahuja, a physicist with deep roots in materials science and solid-state physics, has served as Director of the Indian Institute of Technology Ropar since April 2021.
Under his leadership, the institute has emerged as a rising force in Indian higher education, combining research intensity with innovation-focused enterprise.
He currently oversees a 525-acre green campus on the banks of the Sutlej, along with a research budget that crossed ₹600 crore in the 2024 financial year.
Dr Ahuja’s academic journey began with an MSc in physics at the University of Roorkee (now IIT Roorkee) in 1986, followed by a doctorate in solid-state physics in 1991.
He pursued post-doctoral research at Uppsala University, Sweden, from 1992 to 1995, and rose to full professorship there in 2007.
His research in computational materials science and high-pressure physics has attracted over 54,000 citations and earned him visiting appointments at Harvard University and Florida International University.
Since taking charge at IIT Ropar, Dr Ahuja has focused on scaling research output and securing high-impact grants. In 2024, the institute published 1,056 research papers — nearly double its 2020 tally — and secured major national grants, including from the Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (PAIR) and the Fund for Improvement of S&T Infrastructure (FIST).
He also launched a deep-tech accelerator with backing from the Department of Science and Technology, and expanded the institute’s Technology Business Incubation Centre, which now hosts over 40 start-ups — six of which have surpassed ₹1 crore in revenue.
Among the most visible of his initiatives is ANNAM.AI, a flagship research centre that applies artificial intelligence and IoT to reduce fertiliser and water use in agriculture.
The project aligns with India’s broader food-security goals and reflects the institute’s growing investment in climate-resilient technologies.
Though his professional credentials are formidable, Dr Ahuja also commands an unexpected media presence. In July 2025, a light-hearted campus video featuring students affectionately calling him the “Pookie Professor” went viral, underlining his informal rapport with students and his openness to academic life beyond the classroom.
Speaking to The Times of India after IIT Ropar was ranked 12th among engineering institutions in the 2025 National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), Dr Ahuja summed up his agenda in simple words: “Reducing import dependency through indigenous innovation is our north-star.” With active research programmes in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and sustainable agriculture, Rajeev Ahuja is positioning IIT Ropar not just as a leading institute of technology but as a key player in Punjab’s deep-tech future.
