Member
Vice Chancellor, CMR University
Prof. H. B. Raghavendra is currently serving as Vice Chancellor of CMR University, Bangalore. Prior to this, he was associated with Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, as Director and Director General (Vice Chancellor) from 2011 to 2017. He has also served as Vice Chancellor of The NorthCap University, Gurugram, Haryana, and Chandigarh University, Punjab, before joining CMR University in 2023. Prof. Raghavendra brings over 35 years of experience in teaching, research, and academic governance.
A Civil Engineer by training, he holds degrees from IIT Madras, the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and BITS, Pilani, Rajasthan, and has consistently demonstrated academic excellence. He has been the recipient of several national and international scholarships, including awards from the Government of India and the National University of Singapore. He is a Fellow and Life Member of multiple professional societies, including FIE, ISTE, and IGS. He has also served as coordinator for the World Bank Programme on rural sanitation and water supply projects.
Prof. Raghavendra has presented numerous technical papers at prestigious national and international conferences and has published extensively in journals while guiding postgraduate and PhD students. He has received multiple Best Paper Awards for his contributions to research. He has visited countries including the USA, Australia, China, Singapore, and Malaysia for academic presentations and as part of delegations establishing skill centres and promoting academic excellence.
Under his leadership, several centres of excellence have been established. This include the International Automobile Centre of Excellence at PDPU, in partnership with Kangan Institute, Melbourne, Australia, and Maruti Automobiles, Solar Research and Development Centre promoted by the Gujarat Energy Development Authority at PDPU and industry-funded laboratories across multiple discipline. At NCU Gurugram, Dr. Raghavendra established the Daikin Centre of Excellence, an AR/VR Centre, and the Thought Laboratory for Wellbeing, in partnership with the Brahma Kumaris.
Prof. Raghavendra is a strong advocate for student success and works closely with faculty and leadership to ensure the highest quality of education. He has earned a reputation for implementing effective examination reforms and leading NEP 2020 initiatives.. He is also driving initiatives such as enabling modules for slow learners, student portfolio systems, parent information systems, integration of tinkering labs and makerspaces, centres of excellence, exchange programmes, lifelong learning modules, and industry immersion programmes for faculty and students.
He continues to promote activity-based learning and comprehensive student development, focusing on holistic growth, community-based internships, and outcomes-oriented pedagogy. The success of his leadership is reflected in national and international university rankings, including NIRF and NAAC, and in the improved standing of the institutions he has served.
