As higher education demands more than just administration, calling instead for vision, integrity, and cultural transformation—leaders like Dr. J. Janet stand out. At the helm of Aarupadai Veedu Institute of Technology, Chennai, she not only ensures operational excellence across academics and administration but also redefines leadership through her sacrificial attitude and ability to inspire. By building a values-driven ecosystem of learning and work, Dr. Janet has become a guiding force at AVIT, earning her a rightful place among – “20 Most Prominent Principals in Higher Education 2025.”
From the Scratch
Born in 1973, Dr. J. Janet holds a distinguished academic background with a B.E. and M.E. in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Madras, where she earned a University 10th Rank in her postgraduate studies. She later completed her Ph.D. in the same discipline at Sathyabama University, specializing in Soft Computing and Knowledge-Based Systems.
With nearly three decades of expertise in engineering education and institutional governance, Dr. Janet has held pivotal roles in premier institutions across India. Prior to her current position, she served as Pro Vice Chancellor at Sanjivani Univers
Exemplifying the leadership she promotes, she was honored with the AICTE Visvesvaraya Best Teacher Award 2020, along with a cash prize of ₹25,000, importantly being one of the only 12 awardees from our country.
Building Bridges Between Learning and the Real World
At Aarupadai Veedu Institute of Technology, Dr. Janet has been the driving force behind a robust ecosystem that bridges academia with enterprise. She has introduced application-oriented undergraduate and postgraduate programs in both engineering and business disciplines, seamlessly aligned with corporate frameworks. Her leadership has facilitated the launch of advanced learning hubs in collaboration with prominent tech leaders such as Virtusa, Dell EMC, Bentley, Capgemini, and Aspire Systems.
Further strengthening the institution’s industry interface, she has established avenues for student immersion through hands-on training, internship pipelines, and employment partnerships with firms including TCS, Infosys, Cognizant, IBM, Salesforce, and Accenture. In parallel, she has been actively involved in sponsored innovation, overseeing government-backed research initiatives totaling ₹2.83 crores and mentoring projects valued at over ₹10 crores. As an approved doctoral guide for Anna University and MS University, she has successfully supervised 11 Ph.D. candidates and continues to support new scholars in their academic pursuits.
Trailblazing Achievements and National Impact
Beyond her institutional contributions, Dr. J. Janet has consistently made her mark on the national academic landscape through numerous pioneering initiatives. Under her leadership, her former Institution SKCET was selected as a nodal center for Toycathon 2021 and has had the distinct honor of hosting the Smart India Hackathon for four consecutive years, making it the only institution in Tamil Nadu to hold this distinction.
She has been recognized by the AICTE for her exemplary role as Coordinator of the ATAL Online Faculty Development Programme on Data Sciences.
Her involvement spans several professional organizations, including memberships in IEEE, MHRD’s Innovation Cell, Systems Society of India, and ISTE, among others. A passionate mentor, she has guided many institutions on their path to National level rankings and Accreditation. She also secured prestigious national recognitions for her institutions, including establishing the National Cyber Defence Resource Centre, DSIR-SIRO, DST-IEDC, and the establishment of the Research and Incubation Cell (RIC) in her Institutions.
Through a career grounded in purpose and driven by impact, Dr. Janet continues to elevate the standards of higher education, both within her institution and across the national academic framework.