Biosketch

Viswanathan hails from Vadavannur, a quiet village in Kerala—part of the region fondly known as “God’s Own Country,” a title he suspects owes as much to the monsoon as to mythology. He completed his schooling at a modest local institution that provided a sound primary education to children from nearby villages despite limited resources. He consistently ranked first in his class throughout his school years and achieved a record score in the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examination in the school’s history.

He then joined Government Victoria College, Palakkad, where the academic competition was far more intense. Surrounded by exceptionally talented peers, he quickly realised that being “the best in school” was only the beginning. The transition was demanding, but he rose to the challenge, emerging as the best outgoing student in both his B.Sc. and M.Sc. programmes in Mathematics and earning a university rank.

Fascinated by teaching foundational courses, he began his academic career at Amrita School of Engineering, Coimbatore, at a time when a Ph.D. was not mandatory for faculty appointments. The classroom presented a new challenge: engineering students were naturally inclined toward applications, whereas Viswanathan had been trained in a theorem–proof tradition. Through sustained engagement with students and meaningful interactions with senior colleagues within and beyond the department, he gradually developed an appreciation for applied mathematics and its pedagogy. During his tenure at Amrita, he was consistently rated highly in student feedback, affirming his growing confidence and commitment as a teacher. This period reinforced his belief that mathematics must speak both the language of rigour and the language of relevance.

Over time, he developed a strong desire to pursue doctoral studies. Though initially uncertain about his prospects, he qualified in the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) examination and secured admission to the Indian Institute of Technology Madras—an achievement he had never imagined attaining. From 2010 to 2014, he pursued his Ph.D. under the supervision of Prof. A. K. B. Chand, completing his coursework with a perfect 10.0 CGPA and receiving the Best Thesis Award in 2014.

Following his doctorate, he had the opportunity to work with leading researchers in fractal geometry and approximation theory—first with Prof. Michael Barnsley at the Australian National University, and later with Profs. David Levin and Nira Dyn at Tel Aviv University, albeit for relatively brief periods. These experiences significantly broadened his research outlook and deepened his engagement at the interface of fractal theory, functional analysis, and approximation theory.

He joined the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi in November 2015 as an Assistant Professor, was promoted to Associate Professor in May 2021, and to Professor in February 2026.

Looking back, Viswanathan believes that what truly shapes a life is not meticulous planning or towering aspiration, but sustained effort, supported by the guidance of mentors and teachers. Much of what he has achieved seems, in hindsight, to have unfolded through a quiet confluence of perseverance, encouragement, and the generosity of those who believed in him.

His wife, Dr. Ashwini, brings her own quiet distinction to the family. An M.Tech. rank holder from Cochin University of Science and Technology, she was, for a time, content after completing her master’s degree and devoted herself to home and family. However, with quiet determination, she chose to pursue a Ph.D. at the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, Delhi—a decision made when their daughter was just one and a half years old. Balancing the demands of motherhood with the rigour of doctoral research was far from easy. Managing this delicate equilibrium required extraordinary discipline and sacrifice. Through perseverance and unwavering commitment, she completed her Ph.D. in 2024 with a dissertation on the use of artificial intelligence to assist autism diagnosis in the Indian context—an area that Viswanathan acknowledges to be more tangible and socially immediate than abstract spaces and operators.

She received a postdoctoral offer from Children’s National Hospital, USA, but chose to remain in India to stay close to family. After a brief stint as an Assistant Professor at IIT Ropar, she now serves in the Department of Computer Science at South Asian University, Delhi, where she also helps Viswanathan keep pace with the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence.

Their daughter, Vibha, studies in Grade III at The Mother’s International School, New Delhi. She is the cheerful centre of life at home, training in Bollywood dance at The SAM Studio and in classical Bharatanatyam at Ganesh Natyalaya. She reminds her parents daily that curiosity, laughter, and a little mischief matter far more than any academic distinction.