BITS Pilani Announces Appointment of Prof. Mohan Krishnamoorthy as Director of BITS Pilani Amaravati Campus

BITS in Amaravati to develop as a globally connected campus focused on Computer Science, AI and emerging technologies

Goa Khabar: Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani is pleased to announce the appointment of Prof. Mohan Krishnamoorthy as the Director of BITS Pilani Amaravati campus, effective January 2027.

Prof. Krishnamoorthy will lead the development of the new campus and its academic, research and industry ecosystem, with a particular focus on emerging technologies, including Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence.

A Professor of Operations Research with a PhD from Imperial College, London, Prof. Krishnamoorthy is currently serving as Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor (India Engagement) at RMIT University, and Director of the Industry Research and Interactive Learning Solutions (IRIS) at BITS Pilani.

Sharing his vision, Prof. Krishnamoorthy said, “To be given the opportunity to be the founding director of BITS Amaravati is both a tremendous privilege and an exciting responsibility. Building a campus from the ground up offers a rare opportunity to shape its culture, ambitions and place in the world from the very beginning. For me, the real excitement lies in creating an environment where young people can think boldly, tackle consequential problems and use AI and technology to make a meaningful difference to industry, Government and society. I feel incredibly fortunate to be at the beginning of a journey that can have a lasting impact on students, research and innovation, industry and, ultimately, the future of India.”

Prof. Krishnamoorthy brings extensive experience in higher education leadership, international partnerships, research, industry engagement and institutional development. He was the founding CEO of IIT Bombay–Monash Research Academy, where he played a key role in establishing the Academy and building its research and institutional ecosystem. He subsequently initiated the UQ–IIT Delhi Research Academy, further contributing to large-scale India–Australia research collaborations.

Congratulating Prof. Krishnamoorthy for his new role, Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, Group Vice Chancellor, BITS Pilani, said, “Prof. Krishnamoorthy brings a unique combination of academic leadership, research experience, industry engagement and a strong track record of building international partnerships. His experience in creating new research and institutional ecosystems will be particularly valuable as we develop BITS Pilani Amaravati into a distinctive campus with a strong focus on emerging technologies, innovation and entrepreneurship. We look forward to his leadership in building a vibrant academic and research community and forging deep connections with industry and global partners.”

At BITS Pilani Amaravati campus, Prof. Krishnamoorthy will focus on translating the vision for the new campus into a distinctive academic and research ecosystem. The campus will have a particular focus on AI and data, robotics and advanced manufacturing, digital transformation, life sciences and healthcare, and technologies addressing societal and environmental challenges.