V.I. Lakshmanan, O.C., Ph.D. is an internationally renowned teacher, scientist, and innovator in the area of sustainable development. He has more than 40 years of hands-on experience in technology development, commercialization and skills development initiatives with both private and public sectors including the United Nations. He is co-founder and currently Chairman of Process Research ORTECH, a leading-edge technology development and commercialization company in the areas of process research and sustainable development. He has previously held prominent positions in the engineering/technology sector of Canada with companies such as Noranda, Eldorado Nuclear and ORTECH Corporation. His professional honours include Fellow of Canadian Academy of Engineering, Fellow of Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum, The International Award from the Society of Chemical Industry and many others. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto. He has taught at the University of Birmingham, UK, in the early stages of his career and also at McMaster University in Canada. He is sole or joint owner of more than 50 patents and has published more than 150 papers and written/edited several books on science, process engineering and public policy. He has co-founded and/or led numerous community-oriented non-profit organizations, most notably Canada India Foundation, where he organized and chaired several public policy forums on themes, such as healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, energy, and mining. He has organized three visits to Canada by India’s former President Dr. Abdul Kalam, who is the inspiration for his smart village initiatives, such as clean drinking water solutions and a mobile hospital in rural India, as well as co-chairing smart villages conferences at the University of Toronto. He was a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 and the Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2022. Dr Lakshmanan received the honorary Doctor of Law degree from University of Guelph in 2024.
In 2022, Dr. Lakshmanan was named Officer of the Order of Canada, and in 2023 received the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award from the Government of India. He is a co-founder and current Chair of Sringeri Vidya Bharathi Foundation, dedicated to the sustenance and promotion of Indian spiritual traditions. A committed philanthropist, Dr. Lakshmanan has contributed generously to many institutions and causes, including The University Health Network – Toronto Rehab, Meenakshi Mission Hospital, Aim for Seva, Amar Seva Sangam and many more.