Interview Times 
Professor Damodar Acharya, a luminary in the field of technical education and academic administration, has carved an indelible legacy through his illustrious career. Born in Mayurbhanj, Odisha, his early education at Kuamara ME School, Kumara High School, and MPC High School, Betnoti, laid the foundation for his remarkable journey. His academic pursuits led him to earn a degree in Mechanical Engineering from NIT Rourkela, followed by a Master’s and Ph.D. from IIT Kharagpur.
Professor Acharya began his professional journey as a faculty member at IIT Kharagpur from 1976 to 2013, where his contributions as an educator, researcher, and administrator became legendary. He held pivotal roles, including Head of the Department, Chairman of JEE, Dean of Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy, Executive Director of STEP, Chairman of the Vinod Gupta School of Management, and Director of the Institute.
Pioneering Leadership Across Institutions
Professor Acharya’s tenure as Vice-Chancellor of the Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT) marked a transformative period for the institution. He established a robust technical education system that has since become a benchmark for others. His leadership as Chairman of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) was equally impactful, where he secured India’s provisional membership in the prestigious Washington Accord and addressed faculty shortages by extending the retirement age to 70.
At IIT Kharagpur, Professor Acharya spearheaded innovative initiatives on both academic and administrative fronts, solidifying the institute’s position as a global leader in education and research.
Contributions to Academia and Industry
Professor Acharya’s academic excellence has been recognized with fellowships from the Indian National Academy of Engineering and The National Academy of Sciences. His exceptional contributions to industrial engineering earned him prestigious awards such as the Lillian Gilbreth Prize, the Visvesvaraya Samman, and accolades from the Industrial Engineering and Operations Management Society, USA.
Professor Acharya was instrumental to the establish IIT Kharagpur Extension Centre (Campus) in Bhubaneswar, getting approval for IIT Bhubaneswar and ICT-IOC Institute of Chemical Technology, Bhubaneswar Campus. IIT Kharagpur Extension Centre became the cradle for both IIT Bhubaneswar and now ICT-IOC Institute of Chemical Technology, Bhubaneswar Campus. He has also served as a nonofficial director of the Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India and as an independent director of NALCO and Rastriya Chemicals and Fertilizers.
His advisory roles span numerous universities, institutions, and organizations. Notably, his contribution to the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) as an expert member has been transformative.
Advocating for Future-Ready Education
Professor Acharya is a staunch advocate for aligning education with emerging technological trends. He emphasizes the importance of real technology development through investments in research facilities and the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning into the curriculum. He highlights the increasing redundancy of traditional jobs due to technological advancements and the need for companies to train employees for these changes.
For students, he advises focusing deeply on one area of expertise to achieve meaningful success. He also underscores the importance of skill development and competency for employability. Holistic development of student’s physical, mental, emotional and spiritual is his vision of education.
Promoting Industry-Academia Collaboration
Believing in the symbiotic relationship between academia and industry, Professor Acharya encourages academic institutions to foster collaborations that address real-world problems. He advocates industrial internship for the students and the teachers, may be for a shorter period and jointly solving real world problems of industry. Industry experts must be involved in teaching as adjunct faculty in the Institutes.
He along with his masters and Ph.D students solved large number of Live problems of world class organisations like Tata Steel, Tata Chemicals, HUL, SAIL, Coal India and General Motors, USA to name a few. Implementation of his model helped Indian Army to become young fighting forces. The average age in Command reduced to 40 years from average age in command of 50 years in early 90’s over a period of two decades.
Legacy and Current Roles
Currently serving as the Chairman of the Advisory Board of SOA University, Professor Acharya continues to shape the future of education with his forward-thinking approach. His passion for skill development and mentorship remains unwavering, inspiring generations of students and educators alike. He is in the Board of PREJHA ( PAN IIT Reach for Jharkhand) that trains 8000 tribal students of Jharkhand and ensures 100 percent employment per year at zero cost for them.
Professor Damodar Acharya’s journey from a small village in Odisha to holding positions of national and global significance stands as a testament to his visionary leadership and commitment to excellence. His insights, values, and contributions serve as guiding lights for the ever-evolving landscape of education and industry.
