Padma Shri Sanjay Govind Dhande is the Former Director of IIT Kanpur, an innovative technologist, acclaimed academician, eminent researcher, visionary institution builder and an able administrator, whose contributions are acknowledged globally. He has served as a member of the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India, Member of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). He has actively assisted the Government of India to craft the vision document for the Indian Institutes of Science for Education and Research (IISER) at Pune and Kolkata. He has extensively worked in the field of Computer Aided Design, Rapid Prototyping, Rapid Tooling and Reverse Engineering.

He was instrumental in developing AUTOLAY, an innovative CAD technology for the Indian Aeronautical Development Agency is currently in use by leading aircraft manufacturers around the world, and even utilized for the construction of light combat aircraft in India. He was also the founder director of PDPM Indian Institute of Information Technology Design and Manufacturing, Jabalpur. He has also established the Indian Institute of Saddlery Technology and Export Management (IISTEM) at Banther near Kanpur to develop the traditional technology available in the region.He is currently serving as the Chancellor of Avantika University, Ujjain.