Image Courtesy: Texas A&M University

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Prof. Shankar Prasad Bhattacharyya (B.Tech., Mechanical Engineering, 1967), one of IIT Bombay’s very own. Prof. Bhattacharyya passed away in Texas, USA, early this month after a valiant battle against multiple illnesses. Prof. Bhattacharyya was both an esteemed academic and a revered Indian classical musician. His departure marks a significant loss to the academic community and to those who had the privilege of experiencing his musical artistry.

After his B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering from IIT in 1967, Prof. Bhattacharya obtained his MS in Control Systems in 1969 and a Ph.D. from Rice University in 1971. His research focused on automatic control systems, multivariable control system analysis and design, computer-aided control system design (CACSD), and robust stability and control theory. His work significantly advanced the field, influencing both academic and practical applications.

Prof. Bhattacharyya was a Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering, at Texas A&M University (TAMU) and the Robert M. Kennedy ’26 Professor II. His exceptional contributions were widely recognized through numerous prestigious awards and honours. He was awarded the Professor Visitante Especial by the Brazilian Research Council for the period 2014-2017 and was elected a Foreign Member of the Academia Brasileira de Ciencias in 2011. His achievements also include the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC) Fellow Award in 2011, the Outstanding ECEN Professor Award in 2009, and multiple fellowships and professorships, such as Senior TEES Fellow, Boeing-Welliver Faculty Fellow, and Dresser Industries Professor. Additionally, he was a NASA Research Fellow and a Government of India Scholar during his formative years.

In a moving tribute, one of his classmates and a dear personal friend, Prof. Kalyan Singhal, reflected on Mr. Bhattacharyya’s enduring qualities in an inline memorial service organized by TAMU.

“I met Shankar on 8 July 1962 in Hostel 6, on the eve of our first day of the class for the 1962-
1967 batch. His accomplishments and honours are numerous and well known. They include
over 14,000 citations; an endowed chair at the Texas A&M University; and a Fellow of multiple
organizations, including IEEE. Beyond them, what mattered to me were his three attributes.
Shankar genuinely liked people and was generous to them. He had several coauthors who
remained his coauthors for life. Such lifelong partnerships are rare because often conflicts arise
as to who contributed how much and who got how much recognition.

Shankar was a romantic who discovered beauty everywhere. For example, he found beauty in
Maxwell’s elegant equations and in the Indian culture and values.

Shankar’s greatest love was music, and he was an accomplished sarod player. One can argue
that sarod is perhaps the most difficult instruments to play. But then, all excellent things are as
difficult as they are rare. He learnt sarod from one of arguably the three greatest Indian
instrument players in the last few centuries: Ali Akbar Khan. The other two were Ali Akbar
Khan’s father and guru Allauddin Khan and his guru’s other famous student, Ravi Shankar. This
is what Lata Mangeshkar had to say about them: “When Ustad Ali Akbar Khan wields the sarod,
I am lost to the world. I liked Pandit Ravi Shankar in his earlier phase more. … Allauddin Khan
was a wizard. He could play the sitar with both his hands!” (Source: In search of Lata
Mangeshkar by Harish Bhimani, INDUS 1995, p.137). With this pedigree, Shankar scaled great
heights in his eternal quest to reach the sky.

We celebrate his life and are happy that he graced ours.”

Kalyan Singhal

Prof. Bhattacharyya is survived by his wife, Giselle, and daughter, Sonalee. Condolences may be sent to Arvind Caprihan at acaprihan@mrn.org, who will collate them and forward them to Giselle.

Prof. Shankar Prasad Bhattacharyya’s legacy lives on through his profound contributions to both academia and music. As an esteemed member of the IIT Bombay community, Prof. Bhattacharyya’s impact was deeply felt within the Institute that shaped his early years. His passing is a significant loss to our alumni network and to all who had the privilege of knowing him.

IIT Bombay deeply mourns the loss of a distinguished member of its family. Prof. Bhattacharyya’s extraordinary life and achievements serve as a testament to the rich legacy of our institute, which continues to nurture and inspire its graduates. His memory will forever remain a part of IIT Bombay’s storied history, and his contributions will be remembered with great respect and admiration.

May his soul attain eternal Satgati.