Dr. Saxena; former Director I.I.T. Roorkee (June 2006 – June 2011), former Mentor Director of I.I.T. Mandi, former Director Thapar University (earlier TIET) Patiala (June 2002 – May 2006) & Director Thapar Centre for Industrial Research & Development (January 2004 to May 2006); is now the Vice- Chancellor (Actg) of Jaypee University of Information Technology (A Deemed University) since 1st July 2011. He is the Chairman – NRC of AICTE (since May 2008), Independent Director Tehri Hydro Development Corporation India Ltd (since May 2008) & Chairman of its Audit, Remuneration & Sustainable Development Committees, Member of Boards of Management of Central University of Punjab, GGS Indraprastha University Delhi, Jaypee University of Engineering & Technology Guna & Jaypee University of Information Technology Waknaghat & BOG of University of Petroleum & Energy Studies Dehradun.
Dr. Saxena was born on 22nd March 1949 and is having an outstanding academic record and obtained his B.E. Electrical (1970) from Allahabad University, and M.E. Electrical (Meas. & Inst.) (1973), and Ph.D. Electrical (Biomedical Engg.) (1977) from I.I.T. Roorkee (erstwhile University of Roorkee). He joined on the faculty of Electrical Engg. Deptt. of I.I.T. Roorkee in 1973 and rose upto the level of Professor, Head of Deptt. and Dean. He has guided 27 Ph.D. Theses, 75 ME/ M.Tech. / M.Phil Dissertations, over 100 U.G. Projects, published over 200 research papers, organized/mentored over 28 conferences, edited 05 conference proceedings, written 06 monographs, organized 26 specialized courses for industry and handled 12 sponsored research schemes and was on Editorial Advisory Board of RITES Journal.
During his tenure as the Director, I.I.T. Roorkee, massive expansion of infrastructure, research facilities, laboratories upgradation / augmentation, ICT facilities and other services and starting of new academic programmes had taken place to accommodate 8000 students (nearly double) in Roorkee and Saharanpur campuses. There was about 3.5 times increase in Ph.D. research scholars; about 3 times increase in research publications, sponsored projects and consultancy. He got planned, developed and made functional Greater Noida Extension Centre, the third campus of IIT Roorkee.
He has received 18 awards/prizes/honours including Khosla Gold Medal and Cash award (2 times), President of India’s Prize, Jawahar Lal Memorial Award, K.F. Antia Memorial Prize, Sir Thomas Ward Memorial Prize, K.S. Krishnan Memorial Award; honoured in Oct. 2006 as ‘Outstanding Technologists’ by Punjab Technical University; ‘Pride of Uttaranchal’ in November 2006 by Dehradun Citizen’s Council; ‘Uttarakhand Ratan’ in April 2008 by All India Conference of Intellectuals, received Corps of Engineers Prize in 2008, awarded for “Outstanding Contribution to Higher Education in India” in 18th Business School Affaire & Dewang Mehta Business School Awards in Nov. 2010 and honoured as “Eminent Engineering Personality” by IE (I) in 25th Indian Engineering Congress at Kochi in Dec. 2010.
He is a life fellow of the Institution of Engineers (India), Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers; and Life Member of Biomedical Engineering Society of India, National Institution for Quality and Reliability, Indian Society for Technical Education and Indian Society for Continuing Education.
He was the Chairman of Board of Governors of HBTI Kanpur (September 2011- September 2013), Chairman of Water for Welfare: Virtual Centre, Govt. of Uttarakhand; Chairman of Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Parks (IIT Roorkee & TIET Patiala), President Patiala Management Association, President of Indian Society for Continuing Engineering Education, Vice-Chairman of Governing Body of National University of Hydrology.
He was the Vice-President of Bio-medical Engg. Society of India, Chairman-STEP (TIET) Patiala, Chairman-Roorkee Centre of IE(I), Vice-President-Indian Society for Continuing Engineering Education, Chairman-Roorkee Chapter of Indian Society for Continuing Education, Executive Member-BOG of Punjab Council of Technical Education and Entrepreneurship Development, member BOG BIT Mesra, MNIT Jaipur, NITTR Chandigarh and of several other Board of Governors/ Governing Councils/ Academic Councils.
He has made two educational films, is a trained motivational trainer, worked as an Expert at Military Technical College Baghdad, Iraq; Advisor at AICTE in 1994 and has widely traveled abroad and in India.