UMass Amherst Alumni Association

Awards & Grants

Distinguished Alumni Awards Recipients

Ashok Misra '74 PhD

Ashok Misra ’74 PhD is the Director of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. He obtained a bachelor of technology degree in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur in 1968, master’s degree in chemical engineering from Tufts University in 1969, and PhD in polymer science and engineering from the University of Massachusetts in 1974.  After working for Monsanto for three years, he joined the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi in 1977 where he served as the Head of the Centre for Polymer Science & Engineering and as Dean for Alumni Affairs & International Programmes.

Misra is the president of the Indian National Academy of Sciences India, as well as a fellow of the National Academy of Engineering, Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers, Indian Plastics Institute, and the Maharashtra Academy of Sciences.  He is a member of the International Academic Advisory Panel for the government of Singapore; International Advisory Board for the College of Engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara; and a member of the Independent Scientific Advisory Board of the World Bank for the African Institutes of Science & Technology.  He also serves on the Board of Reliance Industries Ltd., National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd. and Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizers Ltd.

In October 2007, Misra was awarded a Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) by Thapar University, Patiala.  In addition, he was elected as Visiting Fellow Commoner at Trinity College and the University of Cambridge. 

Misra is the recipient of several honors and awards, which include the  S.S. Bhatnagar Memorial Award of the Indian Science Congress;  Chemtech CEW Award; National Systems Gold Medal of the Systems Society of India;  Tufts Engineering Award; Qimpro Platinum Standard Award (Education);  Materials Research Society of India Medal and Prof. Santappa Award of the Society of Polymer Science India.