The Indian Roads Congress (IRC) will confer its Lifetime Achievement Award on Prof. A. Veeraragavan, former Professor of Civil Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, in recognition of his contributions to highway and transportation engineering spanning more than four decades.
The award will be presented during the inaugural function of the 85th Annual Session of the IRC, being held at HITEX, Hyderabad, from November 19 to 22.
Prof. Veeraragavan’s work has covered pavement engineering, road asset management, sustainable construction practices and road safety under India’s heterogeneous traffic conditions. His research and professional contributions have influenced highway engineering standards, codes of practice and the implementation of road infrastructure projects.
Contributions to pavement engineering and road safety
A major area of his research has been the structural evaluation of existing highway pavements and the design of overlays. His work in this field contributed to the formulation of a new Indian code of practice for pavement overlays and the revision of several IRC codes and guidelines.
His research interests also include pavement failure investigations, recycling techniques, innovative construction materials, low-volume roads, airfield pavements and engineering measures to improve safety under mixed traffic conditions.
With more than 200 research papers published in national and international journals and conference proceedings, he has received 12 awards and commendation certificates from the IRC for research papers presented at its annual sessions.
Academic and professional career
Prof. Veeraragavan obtained his B.E. in Civil Engineering from Annamalai University, M.Tech. in Civil-Transportation Engineering from IIT Madras and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Bangalore University. After serving in academic positions, including at Bangalore University, he joined IIT Madras as a Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering. He retired from the institute on August 31, 2021.
He has co-authored several widely used textbooks, including Highway Engineering, with S.K. Khanna and C.E.G. Justo, as well as Highway Materials and Pavement Testing, Surveying and Pavement Drainage – Theory and Practice.
His other recognitions include the IRC Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Centenary Award, the Vishwakarma Award from the Construction Industry Development Council, the Bhagyalakshmi Krishna Ayengar Award from IIT Madras, the Indian Society for Technical Education’s National Award for Promising Engineering College Teacher and the UGC Career Award.
Role in professional bodies and national standards
A Fellow of the Institution of Engineers (India) and the International Society for Engineering Asset Management, Prof. Veeraragavan has been associated with several professional bodies, including the IRC, Institute of Urban Transport and ISTE.
He has served on key IRC committees dealing with highway research, flexible and composite pavements, road maintenance and asset management, and specifications and standards. He has also contributed to national-level expert and advisory panels under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the Ministry of Rural Development.
In addition to his academic and research work, he has guided postgraduate and doctoral scholars, conducted training programmes for practising engineers and served as a technical adviser to various organisations. His professional engagements have included serving as an Independent Director on the board of L&T Infrastructure Development Projects Limited and its special purpose vehicles.
The IRC Lifetime Achievement Award recognises individuals who have made sustained contributions to road infrastructure development and the highway engineering profession. The recognition of Prof. Veeraragavan highlights his long-standing role in advancing pavement research, engineering education and professional practice in India.
