Recognized globally as a business and technology thought leader, Mr. Senapathy “Kris” Gopalakrishnan served as Vice Chairman of Infosys, a leading multinational technology company, from 2011 to 2014, and as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director from 2007 to 2011. He is currently Chairman of Axilor Ventures, an accelerator supporting early-stage start-ups.

Mr. Gopalakrishnan chairs The Council at the Indian Institute of Science Bangalore and the Board of Governors at the International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore. He also leads several key initiatives, including the Vision Group on Information Technology for the Government of Karnataka, the Reserve Bank of India Innovation Hub, and the Confederation of Indian Industry Centre of Excellence in Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Start-ups.

His leadership has earned numerous accolades: he was named Top CEO (IT Services) in Institutional Investor’s inaugural ranking of Asia’s Top Executives and honored with the Asian Corporate Director Recognition Award by Corporate Governance Asia in 2011. He served as President of the Confederation of Indian Industry in 2013–14 and was a Co-Chair at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2014. In 2011, the Government of India awarded him the Padma Bhushan, the nation’s third-highest civilian honor.

Mr. Gopalakrishnan is deeply committed to advancing research in brain sciences and aging-related disorders, while actively investing in start-ups and the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem. He holds master’s degrees in physics and computer science from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, and is a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineers and an Honorary Fellow of the Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers. A longtime supporter of OIST, he served on the OIST Board of Governors from 2017–2025.
 

“Academic dress” is part of a tradition spanning a thousand years of history, connecting us to the first universities in Europe. Originally the dress was worn daily by students and professors alike; however, its use now is restricted to formal occasions at universities.

OIST’s academic dress was designed entirely by the students, and follows the red, white, and black of the OIST colors. The hood, worn only by OIST PhD graduates, features a local textile called Yuntanza Minsa, woven with the Guushi-Bana method of forming the pattern with a pointed bamboo stick. The design of the hood combines local patterns for good fortune, with stylized sine waves representing the sciences.

The hoods are generously hand-woven from locally hand-dyed cotton from Yuntanza Hanaui, a craft-weavers guild from nearby Yomitan Village, and we thank them for their wonderful contribution.

Every year, our graduation ceremony starts with a performance of traditional Okinawan dance (琉球舞踊) and music by OIST community members.

In 2026, we will enjoy "Kajadifu," the most famous of the congratulatory dances, performed on occasions of joy, such as celebrations and inaugurations. Rich in the primary forms and techniques of Ryukyuan dance, such as the use of decorative fans, it is a celebration of the joy of life and one of the most important dances in the canon.