Januar 18th, 2026

Dr. Sanjoy Paul Named Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors

IITKGP Foundation

Dr. Sanjoy Paul (1985/B.Tech/E&ECE) has been inducted as a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), one of the highest professional honors awarded exclusively to inventors. The distinction recognizes his “exceptional achievements as an inventor and significant impact on the innovation ecosystem, economic development, and society.”

With more than 140 domestic and international patents spanning biometrics, security, wireless and mobile networking, Internet of Things (IoT), and smart energy, Dr. Paul has shaped major advances in media, cybersecurity, and grid intelligence. Through a rare blend of research excellence, leadership, and entrepreneurship, he has successfully translated breakthrough ideas into large-scale platforms used around the world.

His pioneering work in Content Distribution Networks (CDN) has influenced how billions of people experience digital media today, contributing to the foundations of modern streaming platforms such as YouTube and Zoom. His biometric security innovations have significantly improved face and iris recognition technologies now used in smartphones, financial systems, and border security. Collectively, the economic value of his innovations exceeds $750 million, driving progress across energy, healthcare, media, and cybersecurity sectors.

Dr. Paul currently serves as Executive Director of Rice-Nexus at Rice University, where he leads state-of-the-art facilities that help students and faculty develop, test, and launch new ventures. He is also co-founder of Houston AI, a nonprofit organization fostering collaboration and innovation in artificial intelligence.

After earning his bachelor’s degree from IIT Kharagpur, Sanjoy completed his Ph.D. in electrical engineering in 1992 from University of Maryland and later earned an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. A Fellow of IEEE, Dr. Paul was recognized in Marquis’ Who’s Who in 2024 for his contributions to engineering and higher education. IIT Kharagpur honored him with the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2015. His many accolades also include the Thomas Alva Edison Patent Award, the IEEE William R. Bennett Award, the Infosys Excellence Award, and MIT Technology Review’s Grand Challenges for India Award.

Dr. Paul joins 169 other distinguished U.S. academics in the 2025 class of NAI Fellows, announced December 11, 2025. This year’s class collectively holds more than 5,300 U.S. patents and represents 127 institutions across 40 states. Fellows are recognized for translating research into real-world products and services that improve lives—an ideal description of a KgPian whose innovations continue to shape the modern world.