Chitkara University Honours J A Chowdary-Pioneer in Entrepreneurship with Honorary Doctorate

Chandigarh, September 19, 2023: Chitkara University conferred an Honorary Doctorate degree upon J A Chowdary, the distinguished Founder and Chairman of the International Startup Foundation. This prestigious recognition pays homage to his outstanding and transformative contributions to the dynamic field of entrepreneurship.

The International Startup Foundation, founded by J A Chowdary, is committed to promoting and supporting startups and entrepreneurs globally. It provides mentorship, resources, and a thriving platform for emerging innovators.

Dr. Ashok Chitkara, Chancellor, Chitkara University, and Dr. Madhu Chitkara, Pro Chancellor, Chitkara University, awarded him the degree at Chitkara University Punjab Campus.

Chancellor, Chitkara University Dr. Ashok Chitkara acknowledged J A Chowdary’s efforts and said, “Under the exceptional leadership and key role of J A Chowdary, an IT revolution in Hyderabad was made possible. With many recognitions and awards under his belt, he was able to bring a change in society. As an expert, his views and advice are often sought on wide-ranging and important matters concerning IT sector industries across the globe.”

Pro Chancellor, Chitkara University Dr. Madhu Chitkara congratulated J A Chowdary and said, “Mr. Chowdary has demonstrated an illustrious history of working in the IT industry. He has contributed to several reputed organizations in his career spanning over 25 years. He is always chasing new horizons and pursuing radical approaches that will shape the future.”

During the ceremony, J A Chowdary shared profound insights from his remarkable journey and talked about his experiences. He thanked Chitkara University for the honour and said, "It is a privilege for me to receive the Honorary Doctorate degree from Chitkara University. I would like to specially thank Dr. Ashok Chitkara and Dr. Madhu Chitkara, for this honour. The way Chitkara has made a mark in the education world by offering industry-oriented courses is truly commendable. I hope they continue leading the education edge and reach new heights.”

He lauded Chitkara University for its remarkable achievements in both education and entrepreneurship, emphasizing particularly its industry-focused programs.

J A Chowdary has an M.Tech in solid state electronics from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras and an M.Sc from SK University. He started his career at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) as a scientist, where he was involved in designing telemetry subsystems for Bhaskara, Rohini and Aryabhata satellites.

He also worked at Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), where he contributed towards developing mechanisms that would facilitate online monitoring of pollution levels, and process control instruments for BHEL power stations.

Chowdary has won the "Meritorious Invention Award" from NRDC, Government of India; HMA Award of excellence "for promoting the Indian IT Industry"; HYSEA Award of excellence "for promoting the IT industry in Andhra Pradesh" and in 2020 HYSEA awarded him "Life Time Achievement Award". He also got the “Award of Excellence” from the Telugu Association of the state of Texas in the United States.

In the 1990s. Chowdary was credited as "one of the key architects" of the HITEC City and Cyberabad in Hyderabad and in founding International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad at Hyderabad and IIDT at Tirupati. He is the co-founder of PortalPlayer which was acquired by Nvidia in 2007 and also a co-founder and board member at Hyderabad Angels. Moreover, he led the development of the chip that went into the first generation of iPod.

Chowdary has been in the roles of chairman of the Industry Development Forum for Andhra Pradesh, co-chairman of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (Telangana and Andhra Pradesh), president of the Anantapur Development Initiative Foundation and president of the Food 360 Foundation.