G.V.S. Raju, (Satyanaryana Gottumukkala V. Raju), age 88, of San Antonio, Texas, passed away peacefully on January 27, 2022. He passed away in Monroe Township, New Jersey at the home of his daughter following a courageous battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. At his side was his wife of 66 years, Mrs. Nagu Raju. Dr. Raju is survived by his loving daughters Jaya of New Jersey, and Uma of Virginia. He is also survived by his dear brother, Balaram G, of Texas, and his sisters Sita, Saraswati, Kasi Anapurna, and dearly departed Parvati, of Undi, India. He is blessed to have four marvelous grandchildren whom he adored at every opportunity, Vikram, Anand, Krishan, and Nina. He and his wife Nagu, married for over 66 years, were inseparable in their life together.
G.V.S. Raju was born in Undi, Andra Pradesh, India on January 8, 1934. He attended Bhimavaram College, followed by study at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kharagpur. His love for the sciences and eminence in engineering were immediately apparent early in his career, as he had a quick and lasting impact during the establishment of India’s space program. He came to the United States in 1961, and in 1965 he received a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn in New York. Instantly recognized for his technical and leadership abilities, in 1973 he was selected as the Chairman of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at Ohio University, Athens Ohio, where he led research and academic activities until 1984. He served the Ohio University academic community from 1967 to 1990.
His groundbreaking work and numerous publications, too many to count, became foundational in the fields of robotics, artificial intelligence, control systems, cybersecurity, nuclear reactor control, and many others. In 1985 he was heavily recruited by Stanford University where he served as a visiting professor in the Artificial Intelligence Robotics Laboratory. During his tenure he received international acclaim for his work and was appointed as President of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Systems and Cybernetics Society, a post he held for nearly two years. Following this role, he brought his foundational technical leadership to Texas, where he helped grow an all-new engineering college at the University of Texas at San Antonio and transform the department into a world class research institute. Dr. Raju served as Director of the Division of Engineering at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), where he retired as a Peter T. Flawn Distinguished Professor.
Dr. Raju was responsible groundbreaking research that led to the technologies in the information age that the world is benefitting from this very day. In 2000, the man playfully known as “Gus” to his contemporaries, was honored as an Engineer of the Millennium by the membership body of over 400,000 engineers and was recognized as one of the outstanding intellectuals of the 21st Century.
Yet, throughout his life of immense professional accomplishment, Dr. Raju never lost sight of the importance of living the values of generosity and kindness, an served example to all who knew him. Dr. Raju’s professional accomplishments were only matched by his desire to give back to the broader community wherever he went. In San Antonio, Texas, the Millennium Engineer known as “Gus,” could often be found serving samosas at the San Antonio India Festival, or volunteering at events helping those less fortunate. Alongside his wife, Nagu, he donated his time and resources to the growth and prosperity of the Hindu Temple of San Antonio. He also volunteered regularly at the San Antonio Rotary Club by supporting local food shelves, and honoring military families and veterans. In addition to this, he regularly gave back to his hometown of Undi in India, ensuring children in primary school had every opportunity to pursue the sciences and education. Never far from the spiritual meaning of what it is to live the values of Dharma, he constructed a temple honoring the Goddess Saraswati in his hometown of Undi, to bless all who attend with wisdom and learning.
Yet, Dr. Raju’s first love and deepest affection was for his family. He loved to travel with them, and regularly took them touring all over the U.S. to explore everything from national parks to its diverse cities, from San Francisco to Niagara Falls. Quite simply, he wanted to take his family everywhere and enjoy life to its fullest. His daughter Uma remarked, “He would take us all over the nation, and we visited all fifty states, stopping to see every sight, and enjoy the wonder of the world we live in.”
Among the proudest moments in his life were watching his children and grandchildren excel in education. He loved attending their graduations and would not miss a single opportunity to attend a commencement ceremony, birthday, or special family milestone. Each day was a blessing to him, and he taught his family to explore all that the world has to offer with joy and curiosity. Dr. Raju’s daughter Jaya remembered, “As a child, I remember Dad picking us up from the airport, and taking us to our new place in Brooklyn. We were arriving in cold weather to our new home, but Dad had jackets waiting for us when we arrived so we could feel warm and welcome. I’ll always remember that moment of caring and security in our new country.”
Among his favorite activities with his family was active participation in the arts, and he especially loved attending Indian classical dance and instrumental events, painting, and a diverse range of art and music. During a particular holiday season in New York, he was strolling with his family in Manhattan and came upon Radio City Music Hall. Enthralled with the venue, he immediately purchased tickets for the entire family to watch their annual Christmas Spectacular Show, a testament to his playful nature and desire to bring happiness and joy to his family at gatherings.
Part of his artistic endeavors included enjoying the beauty of nature. When he brought his family to his posting at Athens, Ohio, he specifically purchased a house so that his family could enjoy the beautiful countryside surrounding their new home, which reminded him of a hill station in Northern India. Together with his brother Balaram, his wife Kantham, nephew Rama, and niece Pratima, they built a new life of togetherness and caring. In Ohio, celebrating family milestones and the friendships were things he treasured the most and reflected on often.
Nagu Raju and the entire Raju family wishes to thank so many who have reached out to express their condolences. Services will be held on Monday, January 29, at 9:30 am Eastern. Attendees may livestream at the link provided.
