Who is Prof V. Kamakoti, IIT Madras director termed 'cow urine expert' by Priyanka Gandhi

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi's parliamentary speech on Tuesday, July 28, drew attention after she referred to IIT Madras Director Prof V. Kamakoti as a 'cow urine expert', sparking controversy over the remark.

Prof Kamakoti is a computer scientist who completed his MS and PhD in Computer Science and Engineering from IIT Madras. He joined the institute as faculty in 2001 and became director in 2002. He specializes in information security, VLSI design, and computer architecture, with over 150 published research papers in international journals and conferences.

Kamakoti has served as JEE chairman at IIT Madras and as Associate Dean of Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research. He has guided PhD and Master's research scholars and held several important roles in the central government at the national level. Currently, he leads the Microprocessor Development Program and Information Security Education and Awareness Program at IIT Madras, and is a member of the National Security Board.