Professor T. T. Narendran served IIT Madras with distinction for 38 years, leaving a profound impact on academia, research, and student life. A graduate in Mechanical Engineering from the College of Engineering, Guindy, he pursued his Master’s and Doctoral degrees at IIT Madras in Industrial Engineering, joining the faculty in 1976.
His research contributions were both deep and diverse—beginning with manufacturing systems, later expanding to logistics, ergonomics, and green supply chains. He made pioneering contributions in Cellular and Flexible Manufacturing Systems, and tackled complex Vehicle Routing Problems and ergonomic scheduling. Known for exploring unconventional and under-researched areas, he guided 20 doctoral scholars and earned a place among the top 15 management researchers in India (1968–2015).
As an academic visionary, he played a pivotal role in launching the MBA programme at IIT Madras and co-founded the PGPEX-VLM programme in collaboration with IIM Calcutta and IIT Kanpur. An inspiring teacher, he was admired for his creative, student-centric pedagogy and unique assessments that encouraged critical thinking.
He held several key administrative roles, including Dean of Industrial Consultancy and Placement Advisor, and drove stronger industry-academia collaboration. His consulting work spanned defense, automotive, banking, and leather industries, offering sustainable, impactful solutions.
Beyond academics, he passionately promoted Indian classical music on campus, serving as President of the IIT Madras Music Club for decades. An accomplished Veena player, he blended tradition with innovation in every sphere.
In 2018, IIT Madras honoured him by establishing the “Professor T. T. Narendran Institute Chair.” His legacy lives on through generations he inspired.