Chief Guest
Shri. Rahul Sharanappa Sankanur
Director, Department of Electronics | Information Technology | Biotechnology | Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka | Ex-officio Managing Director, Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS).
Hometown: Sankanur hails from Hubballi in the Karnataka state.
Education: He completed his Electronics and Communication Engineering from RV College of Engineering, Bengaluru.
Career Before IAS: After engineering, he worked at a multinational corporation before leaving to pursue his civil services dream.
UPSC Journey
Achievement: Sankanur secured an impressive All India Rank (AIR) of 17 in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination (CSE) in 2018.
Perseverance: His success story is noted for his determination, as he cracked the highly competitive exam in his fifth attempt, after failing in the interview stage twice.
Strategy: He emphasized disciplined and methodical preparation, including studying 13 hours daily and interacting with people who could provide solutions to India’s problems.
Current Role
In his capacity as Director and MD of KITS, he is a key figure in driving Karnataka’s innovation and technology vision. His work involves promoting initiatives like “Beyond Bengaluru” to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in other cities, and advancing the state’s policies on IT, BT, and startups. He speaks frequently at tech summits and events, focusing on areas like AI, fintech, deep tech, and the collaboration between industry and academia.