Meet Professor Rangan Banerjee, the new IIT Delhi Director

Professor Rangan Banerjee is the new Director of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi. Professor Banerjee assumed office today as the new IIT Delhi Director, succeeding Professor Dr Ramgopal Rao. Like his predecessor, Professor Banerjee is also from IIT Bombay.

Before his appointment as Director, Professor Banerjee served as the Forbes Marshall Chair Professor in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering at IIT Bombay. Earlier, the outgoing Director Professor V R Rao took to social media to pen down his emotions.

After stepping down as Director of IIT Delhi, six years after joining the post, Prof Rao in a tweet yesterday mentioned that he would be giving charge to Professor Banerjee on February 16. Prof Ramgopal Rao was serving on extension, with his five-year tenure having ended in April 2021.

The Central government on January 12, 2022 had appointed new directors to the Indian Institutes of Technology in Delhi, Madras, Indore and Mandi.

Prof. Rangan Banerjee, Forbes Marshall Chair Professor, Department of Energy Science and Engineering, IIT Bombay, has taken charge as the new Director of #IITDelhi, succeeding Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao. pic.twitter.com/zajMFTO33q

— IIT Delhi (@iitdelhi) February 15, 2022

Who is Rangan Banerjee

Professor Rangan Banerjee is a B Tech (mechanical) graduate and a PhD in mechanical engineering from IIT Bombay.

He served as the Forbes Marshall Chair Professor in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering at IIT Bombay.  

The search-cum-selection committee last September shortlisted three names for the top post at the IIT Delhi.

He was chosen over JNU Vice Chancellor Jagadesh Kumar and IIT Delhi Professor Santosh Kapuria for the top job.

Professor Banerjee has also been involved in the setting up of a Megawatt Scale Solar Thermal Power Testing plant.

Megawatt Scale Solar Thermal Power Testing, Simulation Research Facility is sponsored by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

He is also the faculty advisor of Team Shunya, which was India's first student team in the Solar Decathlon 2014 Europe Finals.

He is on the editorial board of the International Journal of Sustainable Energy, International Journal of Sustainable Engineering.

He is also on the board of International Journal of Thermodynamics, Solar Energy Advances, Global Transitions (Energy Transitions).