Dr Anand S Deshpande

Anand Deshpande's long-standing contributions to the broader computing community and to ACM are characterized by his visionary leadership, strategic collaboration, and a commitment to advancing the field of computing science and engineering. He is one of few people who have served all three pillars of the "Triangle of Knowledge" with great success. He has been a respected researcher in his early career, he has created an extremely successful and impactful company in India from scratch, and in addition to his educational efforts as a young faculty member, he has led several concerted efforts to educate the young generation in entrepreneurial thinking in technological areas and beyond.

Furthermore, Deshpande has been a major asset of the computing ecosystem of India, having a tangible, technological, economic, and intellectual impact in his country. He has made significant contributions to the local innovation and educational environments, through think tanks and professional support foundations, but has also contributed to technology policy issues, advising the Indian government on critical topics. His efforts are not confined to computing technology alone, however, but have expanded to addressing medical diseases and other pressing societal challenges.

Deshpande has also demonstrated an unwavering dedication to furthering ACM's mission to enhance the profession and foster a global community of researchers and practitioners. He has been a cornerstone of the ACM India Council, being instrumental in its establishment, serving as its inaugural co-chair and then past president, hosting the Council's office and its staff in his company's premises through the years, and offering constant support to the Council's activities and, in general, to all ACM members in India, whose community has continued to grow and thrive.