Kumar Sivarajan: The foundation of his extraordinary career was laid through academic excellence and intellectual curiosity. He earned his Bachelor of Technology in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras in 1987, one of India’s most prestigious engineering institutions. Even at this early stage, his inclination toward complex systems, networks, and communications was evident.
Driven by a desire to explore cutting-edge research, Kumar Sivarajan pursued higher education at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Pasadena, where he obtained both his Master’s and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering. Caltech’s rigorous research environment exposed him to the earliest ideas in high-speed communications and optical networking—fields that were only beginning to take shape globally.
This period proved transformative. Optical networking was still an emerging discipline, and Kumar Sivarajan recognized its immense potential to redefine how the world communicates.
Kumar Sivarajan: Pioneering Research in Optical Networking
Dr. Kumar Sivarajan is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of optical networking. Beginning in the early 1990s, he published a series of influential papers in IEEE Transactions, addressing the fundamental architectural challenges of optical networks.
His research made landmark contributions to:
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Optical network topology design
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Routing and wavelength assignment (RWA)
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Efficient utilization of optical bandwidth
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Scalable all-optical network architectures
At a time when optical networking was still largely theoretical, Kumar Sivarajan’s work provided a comprehensive and practical framework for real-world implementation. His seminal paper on routing and wavelength assignment in all-optical networks became a cornerstone of the field and earned him some of the most prestigious honors in engineering research.
Among these were the IEEE W.R.G. Baker Prize Paper Award and the IEEE Communications Society Bennett Prize, recognizing the originality, depth, and long-term impact of his work.
Academic and Research Leadership
Before transitioning fully into entrepreneurship, Kumar Sivarajan built an impressive academic and research career. He served as a faculty member at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, where he mentored students and conducted high-impact research in the fields of communications and networking.
He later joined the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center in New York, one of the world’s most elite industrial research labs. There, he gained invaluable exposure to applied research, large-scale systems engineering, and the translation of ideas into commercially viable technologies.
This rare blend of academic depth and industrial experience would later become a defining strength in his entrepreneurial journey.
Kumar Sivarajan: Founding Tejas Networks – Building India’s Telecom Product Future
In the year 2000, Kumar Sivarajan co-founded Tejas Networks, marking a bold and visionary step at a time when India was largely known for IT services rather than deep-tech product innovation.
As Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Kumar Sivarajan has been the technological backbone of the company, guiding the development of next-generation optical and wireless transmission products. Under his leadership, Tejas Networks emerged as:
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India’s first optical networking startup
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One of the very few Indian companies designing and manufacturing carrier-grade telecom products
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A trusted supplier to telecom operators in India and across global markets
His role extends far beyond management. Kumar Sivarajan has personally shaped Tejas Networks’ engineering culture, emphasizing innovation, reliability, and global competitiveness.
Author of a Definitive Textbook
Beyond research papers and products, Kumar Sivarajan has profoundly influenced education in optical communications. He is the co-author of the bestselling textbook “Optical Networks: A Practical Perspective”, now in its third edition.
The book is widely regarded as:
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The most practical and comprehensive guide to optical networking
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A standard textbook at leading universities worldwide
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A bridge between theory and real-world network design
For thousands of students and professionals, this book has served as their first true introduction to the field—an enduring legacy that extends well beyond corporate achievements.
Leadership in Telecom Standards and 5G
Kumar Sivarajan’s impact also extends into telecommunications standards and policy. He served as the first Chairperson of the Governing Council of the Telecommunications Standards Development Society, India (TSDSI).
In this role, he played a critical part in:
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Shaping India’s telecom standards ecosystem
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Representing Indian innovation in global forums
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Contributing to the evolution of global 5G standards
His work helped ensure that India moved from being a standards follower to an active contributor on the world stage.
Awards, Honors, and Global Recognition
The excellence of Kumar Sivarajan’s contributions has been recognized through numerous prestigious awards and fellowships, including:
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IEEE W.R.G. Baker Prize Paper Award (1997)
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Swarnajayanti Fellowship from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India
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Global Indus Technovator Award (2004) at MIT, USA
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Techno-Visionary Award (2010) from the Indian Semiconductor Association
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Elevation to IEEE Fellow (2021) for extraordinary contributions to optical networking
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CTO of the Year Award (2022) from ET Telecom