Prof. Kamakoti Veezhinathan is currently the Director of IIT Madras. His research interests includes Software for VLSI, Reconfigurable Systems Design, and Computer Architecture. Professor Kamakoti led the research team that designed India’s first indigenously-developed microprocessor ‘Shakti’ which can be used in mobile computing devices and networking systems. It can reduce the reliance on imported microprocessors in communications and defence sectors. An alumnus of IIT Madras and an expert in artificial intelligence, he has been appointed as the head of the AI task force by the union commerce ministry and is also currently a member of the National Security Advisory Council.