Neuroscientist Ravi Bellamkonda Appointed Ohio State University President
India-West News Desk
COLUMBUS, OH – The Ohio State University Board of Trustees has appointed Ravi V. Bellamkonda as the 18th president in the history of the institution.
Bellamkonda, an internationally renowned bioengineer and neuroscientist, has served as the university’s executive vice president and provost since early 2025. His elevation to the presidency follows a distinguished career in higher education leadership and breakthrough medical research.
As provost, Bellamkonda oversaw all 15 colleges at Ohio State, its regional campuses, and the University Libraries. He worked closely with the University Senate and various shared governance bodies to maintain momentum in academic excellence. Upon his appointment, Bellamkonda described the university as a nation-leading academic powerhouse with a scope and reach that allows it to achieve goals impossible for many other institutions.
Bellamkonda’s academic journey includes a bachelor’s degree from Osmania University, a PhD from Brown University, and a postdoctoral fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Before joining Ohio State, he served as the provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at Emory University, where he launched initiatives in artificial intelligence and student flourishing. His leadership experience also includes serving as the Vinik Dean of the Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University and chairing the joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology.
Beyond his administrative roles, Bellamkonda is a celebrated researcher whose lab developed the tumor monorail, a breakthrough device for treating brain tumors. This technology received a National Institutes of Health Director’s Transformative Research Award and was recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. An elected fellow of several prestigious scientific societies and the holder of 11 U.S. patents, Bellamkonda resides in the Ohio State community with his wife, Dr. Lalita Kaligotla, and their family.
