A pioneering academic leader, institution builder, and researcher of international standing, Prof. Prem Vrat has been a core IIT-ian all through his student and professional academic career. He was educated at IIT Kharagpur and IIT Delhi. He is the Former Director of IIT Roorkee and Former Director (officiating) at IIT Delhi.  He is currently Professor Emeritus, IIT Delhi and Pro-Chancellor; Professor of Eminence and Chief Mentor at The NorthCap University, Gurugram (formerly ITM University, Gurugram). Just prior to joining ITMU as the Vice-Chancellor, in September 2011, he was Professor of Eminence at the Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurugram.

Prof. Vrat was the Founder-Director of IIT Roorkee when it was brought under the IIT system; Vice-Chancellor, U.P. Technical University, Lucknow (now known as APJAKTU, Lucknow); Professor, Head Centre for Management Studies, Coordinator Applied Systems Research Program, Dean, Dy. Director and Director (Officiating) at IIT Delhi; Professor and Division Chairman of Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok. He is an Honorary Professor at IIT Delhi and Distinguished Adjunct Professor at AIT, Bangkok. He was Chairman, Board of Governors of WIT, Dehradun, a constituent institute of Uttrakhand Technical University.

Prof. Prem Vrat was an Honorary Research Fellow at the Department of Engineering Production, University of Birmingham (U.K.), and as an International Visiting Fellow at the University of Western Sydney, Australia.  He has extensive experience of more than 51 years in teaching, research, management development, and consultancy.

He has guided 45 Ph.D. theses, 118 M.Tech, and 65 B.Tech major projects on Industrial Application of Systems Approach and Management Science.  He has published more than 495 research papers in reputed journals and proceedings of international and national conferences.  His research papers have received more than 7485 citations with g-index of 87 and maximum citation of a paper as 1428 (as per google scholar). He has authored/co-authored seven books and completed five sponsored projects and 35 consultancy assignments. His book, ‘Productivity Management: A System Approach’ received awards from DMA as well as ISTD. His book, ‘Materials Management: An Integrated Systems Approach’ published by Springer is available worldwide both in print and e-book versions. He is a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering, National Academy of Sciences, World Academy of Productivity Sciences, ISTE, and IIIE. Recipient of multiple awards and recognitions, Professor Vrat was conferred Doctor of Engineering (Honoris Causa) by Bundelkhand University; Distinguished Alumnus Award by IIT Kharagpur; Distinguished Service Award by IIT Delhi; Outstanding Contribution Award for National Development by IIT Delhi Alumni Association; Uttaranchal Ratan Award; Lillian Gilbreth Award; 15 Best Paper medals and prizes. Prof. Prem Vrat was honored with the National Systems Gold Medal by the Systems Society of India (SSI), an Honorary Member of IIIE, the highest recognition by IIIE. SAE India Foundation bestowed on him the ‘Guru’ Award for his outstanding contributions. He has conferred the ‘Life Time Achievement Award’ at the 18^th Annual International Conference of the Society of Operations Management at IIT Roorkee in December 2014. He received Dr. M.C Puri Memorial Award of ORSI for his outstanding contribution to the promotion of Operational Research in India and Life Time Achievement Award-2017 by Indian Institution of Industrial Engineering for Outstanding contributions to Industrial engineering Profession and the Society. Re-Think India conferred on him the” Visionary Edu-leader of India” Award on 11^th December 2017 given by Former President Shri Pranab Mukherjee. He was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award by Systems Society of India and Dayalbagh Educational Institute at DEI, Agra on 5^th March 2018. U.P Chief Minister felicitated him on 26^th July 2019 for his valuable contribution as Vice-Chancellor of UPTU, during his tenure.

He has been on the Board of Governors of many technical institutions and universities, on the editorial boards of many Indian and foreign journals. He was Chairman (NWRC), AICTE; Chairman Program Implementation Committee of National Project on Earthquake Engineering Education (NPEEE); Chairman, Working Group on HRD in IT, Department of IT, Government of India; Member JNU Court; Member of Ad hoc Task Force (ATF), Independent Director on the Board of Air India; Co-Chairperson, RAC-DRDO, Member, Advisory Group of Experts for Technology Upgradation in Indian Railways, and Member Executive Council of YMCA University of Science and Technology. He was Chairman INAE Forum on Engineering Education and is Member, Technology Foresight and Management of INAE and Member EC, Sharda University, Greater Noida and Member University Court & Executive Council, Central University Haryana and Member, Board of Governors of National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE), Mumbai. He has been nominated mentor by the Empowered Committee for the Institute of Eminence by UGC to mentor these institutes to become world-class institutions in due course. He is Chairman, Advisory Board of KIET, Ghaziabad.