IBM Fellows
This year’s class of IBM Fellows includes two Indian American engineers, Dakshi Agrawal (pictured fourth from right) and Sridhar Muppidi (second from left). Credit: IBM

SAN FRANCISCO (Diya TV) — Thursday IBM named 11 new fellows, the company’s highest technical honor. The new Fellows are being celebrated for leading innovative work in cognitive computing, cloud, security and design.

The IBM Fellow honor is conferred to IBMers in recognition of exceptional and sustained technical achievements and leadership in engineering, programming, services, science, technology, design and industry solutions.

Two Indian-Americans, Dakshi Agrawal and Sridhar Muppidi, have been selected in this year’s class for their contributions to the company.

Agrawal, who completed his undergraduate studies in electrical engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, also received his master’s and Ph.D. in the same field of study. He is regarded as IBM’s foremost expert in real-time cognitive solutions, is responsible for a range of innovations in real-time analytics and creating solutions to solve complex client challenges. His scientific work in areas as diverse as information theory, systems sciences, and security and privacy has been cited over 5,000 times in academic publications, and he holds 59 U. S. patents, according to IBM’s website.

Agrawal credits his parents for fostering an environment of curiosity and exploration while growing up as one of the main reasons he’s been such a successful engineer.

“They encouraged my curiosity as a child — even when it led me to break things! — and they supported my education in all possible ways. They showed me the difference between being educated and accomplished versus merely holding a degree or a title — this distinction has guided me throughout my student life and professional career,” he told the company’s website.

Sridhar, an IBM Master Inventor, has played a key role in digital ID transformation projects worldwide.

“I’m thrilled to be an inventor and to have been given a chance to innovate at IBM,” he said. “My contributions in the security space have provided customers across several different industries with innovative solutions to everyday problems and have made the world that we live in ever more secure. I’m very proud that I’ll leave a legacy through my contributions.”

One of Srihar’s favorite projects has little to do with his contributions at IBM — he and his brother, who lives in India, began independently developing a green energy dairy farm. The farm is completely functional, he said.

“I am very passionate about this project since it gives me an opportunity to give back to the community and make a difference.”

“IBM’s continued commitment to research and innovation has been an engine for scientific, technological and societal progress, and for our company’s success for more than 100 years,” said Ginni Rometty, IBM chairman, president and CEO. “This year’s extraordinary group of new IBM Fellows, whose breakthroughs have had a material impact on our leadership in cloud, cognitive, security and quantum, demonstrate once again the critical role our company plays in tackling the world’s toughest problems and developing the next generation of leaders.”