Prof. B. S. Murty is a distinguished Metallurgical Engineer, acclaimed researcher, and respected academic leader. He took charge as the Director of IIT Hyderabad on August 26, 2019, and was reappointed to the position on June 20, 2025.

Born in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, Prof. Murty began his academic journey with a Diploma in Metallurgical Engineering from Government Polytechnic, Vijayawada (1983), followed by a BE in Metallurgical Engineering from VNIT Nagpur (1986), where he graduated with distinction and first rank. He went on to pursue his ME (1988) and PhD (1992) at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru (IISc), laying the foundation for a career dedicated to advancing Materials Science and Engineering.

Over the past three decades, Prof. Murty has held several key academic and administrative roles at premier institutes such as IIT Kharagpur and IIT Madras, before taking charge as the Director of IIT Hyderabad in 2019. He has also contributed nationally by guiding institutions like IIIT Raichur, IIITDM Kurnool, and NIT Andhra Pradesh in leadership capacities.

Prof. Murty is internationally recognized for his pioneering work in Nanomaterials, High Entropy Alloys, bulk metallic glasses, aluminium-based composites. He has been instrumental in establishing national-level research facilities such as the National Facility for Atom Probe Tomography (IIT Madras) and the Centre for In-situ & Correlative Microscopy (IIT Hyderabad)—both first of their kind in India.

A prolific researcher, he has authored over 550 publications, written influential books including High Entropy Alloys and Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, and guided more than 50 PhD scholars. With an h-index of 82 and 29,250+ citations, he ranks among the leading metallurgists/materials scientists worldwide.

Prof. Murty's contributions have earned him some of India's most prestigious scientific honours, including the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award (2007), the National Metallurgist Award by the Ministry of Steel (2021), the JC Bose Fellowship (since 2018), the INAE Outstanding Teacher Award (2019), the GD Birla Gold Medal of the Indian Institute of Metals (2015), and lifetime achievement recognitions from both EMSI (2023) and IIT Madras (2016). He has also received the Distinguished Alumnus Awards from IISc Bengaluru (2020) and VNIT Nagpur (2010). His early brilliance was marked by the INSA Young Scientist Award (1995), the INAE Young Engineer Award (1997), the Young Metallurgist Award (1994), and the ISCA Young Scientist Award (1992), alongside the AICTE Career Award for Young Teachers (1997-2000) and the Professor A. A. Krishnan Gold Medal for Best ME Thesis (1988).

On the international front, Prof. Murty has been elected a Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences (2018), the Asia Pacific Academy of Materials (2013), and ASM International (2010). He has been recognized as a Professor Extraordinarius by the University of South Africa (2021) and conferred an Honorary Doctorate by Deakin University, Australia (2017). His academic engagements include positions as Adjunct Professor at Swinburne University of Technology (since 2025), Associate Faculty at the University of British Columbia (2016-2022), and Adjunct Professor at Ryerson University, Canada (2011-2020). He has also served in influential roles such as Member of the Nominating Committee of ASM International, ASM-IIM North America Lecturer (2014), Member of the International Advisory Committee on Rapidly Quenched Metals (2008-2017, 2017-2026), and Steering Committee Member of ISMANAM (since 2019). In addition, he has significantly contributed to the advancement of materials research as Editor of the Journal of Alloys and Compounds (2020-2024), Key Reader for Metallurgical and Materials Transactions (since 2001), and most recently, Advisory Member of the journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials (since 2025).

Prof. Murty is a Fellow of all the leading Science and Engineering academies in India, including the Indian National Academy of Engineering (FNAE), the Indian National Science Academy (FNA), the Indian Academy of Sciences (FASc), and the National Academy of Sciences (FNASc). He is also a Fellow of several professional societies such as the Indian Institute of Metals (FIIM), the Electron Microscopy Society of India (FEMSI), the Powder Metallurgy Association of India (FPMAI), the Andhra Pradesh Academy of Sciences (FAPAS), and the Telangana Academy of Sciences (FTAS).

Beyond academic honours, Prof. Murty has held several prestigious national leadership roles. Member of the National Security Advisory Board (2023-27). He is Co-Chair of the Indo-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET), Chair of the Indo-US Global Challenge Institute, and Chair of the Empowered Committee for Industry and International Collaborations (ECIIC), Government of India. He has served as Vice President of the Indian Institute of Metals (2022-25) & currently serving as its President. He currently chairs the Boards of Governors of JNTU Hyderabad and Osmania University College of Engineering and leads the Research Council at DRDL.

Prof. Murty has also contributed extensively to policy, governance, and academic advancement through memberships in the IIT Council (SCIC), Boards of Governors of NIFFT Ranchi and NIT Warangal, and as Visitor's Nominee to IIT Kharagpur, IIT Jodhpur, and several NITs. He has played key roles in research councils of premier CSIR laboratories, the DST-SERB committees on Materials and Young Scientists, and editorial responsibilities as Chief Editor of Transactions of the Indian Institute of Metals (2017-2022). His contributions to engineering education include leading the AICTE-INAE Travel Grant Scheme, serving on the INAE Governing Council, and supporting young innovators through various INAE and DST committees.

Beyond his academic and administrative achievements, he is passionate about nurturing the next generation of Engineers and Innovators, aligning his efforts with national missions such as Atmanirbhar Bharat and promoting engineering solutions for a sustainable world.

His leadership extends beyond research into institution-building. At IIT Hyderabad, Prof. Murty has introduced transformative initiatives that emphasize interdisciplinary learning, deep-tech innovation, Entrepreneurship, and skill development. He has been instrumental in strengthening the iTIC Incubator, launching the BUILD (Bold & Unique Idea Led Development) and BHARATI (Bold Hearted Aspirants RAising to Transform India) programs to foster student innovations, and promoting a strong skill-development culture among technical staff. His philosophy of “learning by doing” has reshaped the academic ecosystem at IITH, encouraging project-based learning, industry internships, and global collaborations. Under his guidance, IIT Hyderabad has risen rapidly in national and international rankings, carving a niche as a hub for innovation-driven education.

As Director of IIT Hyderabad, Prof. Murty has championed flexibility and innovation in academics, promoted industry-linked and interdisciplinary research, and nurtured a thriving innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. Under his leadership, IITH continues to grow as one of the country's most dynamic institutions, contributing to the vision of a Viksit Bharat 2047 and making a global impact.