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Pramod Varshney establishes legacy fellowship at Syracuse University
Born in Allahabad, India, he joined the Syracuse University faculty in 1976.
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Pranavi Sharma - Wed, 16, Apr 2025
- 22:57 EDT
- 628
Pramod K. Varshney / Syracuse University
Pramod K. Varshney, an Indian-origin professor at Syracuse University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science, has established the Pramod and Anju Varshney Endowed Faculty Fellowship in honor of his late wife, Anju Varshney. The fellowship is intended to support promising faculty members who are committed both to research excellence and to mentoring the next generation of scholars.
Born in 1952 in Allahabad, India, Varshney joined the Syracuse University faculty in 1976, soon after completing his Ph.D. in electrical engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He was just 23 years old when he first began teaching. Over the decades, he has become known not only for pioneering work in information fusion but also for the steady guidance he has offered his students, supervising 68 doctoral dissertations to date.
“My hope is that this fellowship will help keep the University and EECS growing, becoming further well-known around the world as a great place for education and scholarship,” Varshney said, reflecting on the legacy he and his wife wanted to leave behind. “Anju and I bled Orange. What we wanted to do was leave a legacy which would keep and grow the excellence that we have at Syracuse University in the mission of education.”
The fellowship will support a faculty member in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) who, much like Varshney himself, is deeply involved in research while remaining dedicated to mentoring doctoral students. But Varshney also hopes for something more. “The person [for this position] should be an agent of change,” he said. “They should be transformational in research but have something else—a discovery that will serve humanity, working with groups that are outside of the University, or helping underprivileged students to realize their dream of going to college. Do something in our society that makes a difference.”
This is not the first time the Varshneys have extended their support to Syracuse. In 2018, they created an endowed fund that offers scholarships and financial assistance to EECS doctoral candidates. For many in the university community, the Varshneys’ commitment has left an indelible mark.
“The first ECS news story I ever read was about Pramod and Anju’s dedication to EECS Ph.D. students,” said dean J. Cole Smith. “In reading that article, I was instantly struck by how much they mean to Syracuse University and what a lasting impact they have had on countless generations of ECS students. Now, the Varshney Endowed Faculty Fellowship will support and honor EECS faculty members as they set out to make their own research and societal impacts.”
Former students of Varshney often speak of his mentorship as transformative. “I consider myself fortunate that professor Varshney was my Ph.D. advisor at Syracuse University,” said Kotikalapudi Sriram, a former doctoral student. “He remains a true source of inspiration and professional support for me and many former SU students I know.”
Another former student, Engin Masazade, echoed the sentiment. “His guidance has meant everything to me—shaping not only my academic and professional growth but also my approach to problem-solving and collaboration. His unwavering support, insightful advice, and dedication to his students have had a profound impact on my journey, and I am incredibly grateful to have learned from him.”
For Varshney, the fellowship is an expression of gratitude for a career shaped by collaboration, discovery, and the bonds formed between teacher and student. “I’ve loved being able to interact with a large number of graduate students from all over the world, who have gone on to do great things,” he said.
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