Professor Manindra Agrawal, Director of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, is a member of the Mission Coordination Cell for India’s National Quantum Mission.
The Mission Coordination Cell (MCC) is the central agency of India’s National Quantum Mission, responsible for managing communication, coordination, and project oversight across research institutions, industries, government bodies, and technical hubs. MCC ensures smooth implementation of quantum technology projects, connects Technical Hubs (T-Hubs) with ministries and stakeholders for technology deployment, and aligns NQM with national initiatives like Digital India, Make in India, Skill India, Start-up India, NM-ICPS, and NSCM to drive innovation and collaboration.
Prof. Manindra Agrawal received his BTech and PhD in Computer Science and Engineering from IIT Kanpur in 1986 and 1991, respectively.
He is currently the Director of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur. Prof. Agrawal is globally renowned for his contributions to Complexity Theory and Cryptography, including the development of the AKS Primality Test, the first unconditional deterministic algorithm to test primality in polynomial time.
He has held significant academic and administrative positions at IIT Kanpur, including Head of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (2006-2010), Dean of Resource Planning and Generation (2011-2012), Dean of Faculty Affairs (2013-2015), and Deputy Director (2017-2019). From 2020 to 2024, he was the Project Director at C3iHub, a Cybersecurity Technology Innovation Hub at IIT Kanpur.
Professor Agrawal has a distinguished career in academia and administration. Prior to his role as Director of IIT Kanpur in April 2024, he contributed significantly in various leadership positions at the Institute. He worked as a fellow at the School of Mathematics, SPIC Science Foundation, Chennai, and as a Humboldt Fellow at the University of Ulm, Germany, before joining IIT Kanpur as a faculty member in 1996.
Professor Agrawal’s pioneering contributions to the AKS Primality Test earned him numerous accolades, including the Padma Shri Award, the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award, the Gödel Prize, the Fulkerson Prize, and the Infosys Prize for Mathematics. He is a foreign associate of the US National Academy of Sciences and a fellow of The World Academy of Sciences, as well as all three Indian Science Academies: the Indian National Science Academy, the Indian Academy of Sciences, and The National Academy of Sciences, in addition to the Indian National Academy of Engineering.
Professor Agrawal is an expert in Complexity Theory and Cryptography, with significant expertise in algorithm development. He is especially known for his groundbreaking work on the AKS Primality Test. His administrative experience spans leadership roles in various capacities, such as department head, dean, and deputy director. Additionally, Prof. Agrawal has a strong background in fostering innovation in cybersecurity and technology. His extensive contributions to academia and his recognition through national and international honors highlight his influence in the field of computer science.