Dr Raghunath K. Shevgaonkar is a scientist and academician who provided dynamic leadership in Engineering Education in India for more than four decades. An alumnus of, MITS Gwalior, IIT Kanpur, Indian Institute of Astrophysics/Raman Research Institute Bangalore, and IIT Bombay, his research spans over a wide range of areas like, Radio Astronomy, Fibre Optic Communication, Electromagnetics, and Antennas.
He played a key role in commissioning one of the world's largest Low Frequency Radio Telescopes in India. Also, he studied the Sun at radio frequencies using the world's largest radio telescope, the Very large Array at New Mexico, USA. He received Ramlal Wadhwa and IETE CEOT-94 awards for his outstanding contributions to radio astronomy and opto- electronics.
He is a pioneer of e-learning initiative in India. His video and web courses on Electromagnetics and Optical Communication are highly acclaimed worldwide. His solo textbook, "Electromagnetic Waves" by McGraw Hill Education, is one of the most widely used undergraduate textbooks on electromagnetics in India and other countries. He is the first non American professor to be conferred upon the prestigious International IEEE UG Teaching Award. He is also a recipient of SN Mittra Memorial Award of Iindian National Academy of Engineering, VASVIK Award, IEEE William Sayle Education Leadership Award, Excellence in Teaching award of IIT Bombay, Education Leadership Award from Headlines Today, Dewang Mehta Educational Excellence Award, Jeevan Sadhana Gaurav Purskar of Savitribai Phule Pune University, and many more
He is a Fellow of: Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineering. USA (IEEE), National Academy of Science, India (NASI), Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE), nstitution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering (IETE), Optical Society of India (OSI), Institution of Engineers (IE), and Maharashtra Academy of Science (MAS). He has been a scientist/professor at University of Maryland, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, ETH Zurich and ISEP Paris.
He has played many leadership roles at IIT Bombay like, Deputy Director of Finance and External Affairs, Dean of Resource Mobilization, Dean of Student Affairs, Head of Electrical Engineering department, Founder Head of Distance Engineering Education Programs, etc. He was Director oflIT Delhi, Vice Chancellor of University of Pune, and Vice Chancellor of Bennett University. Currently, he is Professor Emeritus of IlT Bombay and Provost, Somalia Vidyavihar, Mumbai