In Memory of Ken Keniston, MIT-India’s Founding Faculty Director

MIT-India is saddened to announce the passing of its founding Faculty Director, Professor Kenneth Keniston.

Professor Keniston in 1998 founded the MIT-India Program within the MIT Science and Technology Initiatives (MISTI) program to enhance the academic careers of MIT students through professional and research opportunities in India. The program began with MIT students teaching school children computer coding and, over 22 years, grew to facilitate 1000+ student internship and research opportunities at India’s world-class research centers, multinational companies, universities, NGOs, and start-ups.

Professor Keniston was the Sir Ashutosh Mukerjee Visiting Professor at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) within the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore from 1999-2002. He served as the Foreign Member of the India International Center in New Delhi and Chair of the Decennial Review Committee of NIAS. In addition, he was a member of the Governing Board of the IIITB, the Advisory Board of the i4d Journal (Delhi), and the Advisory Board of the Minimally Invasive Education Project (Computer in the Wall) of NIIT India. Professor Keniston also lectured at many Indian institutions, including IIT-Chennai, IIT-Mumbai, IIT-Kanpur, the Confederation of Indian Industry, and select private firms.

In recent years, Professor Keniston’s research focused on information technology and development. His studies examined how information and communication technologies are used for development, political transparency, social justice, and the improvement of life, especially in rural India. He authored nine books and over one hundred articles, reviews, and chapters. His most recent books were: IT Experience in India: Bridging the Digital Divide (in 2004 with Deepak Kumar), The State, IT, and Development (in 2005 with Rohit Raj Mathur and R.K. Bagga), and a comparative study of six rural information projects done for the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology of the Government of India (in 2006 with P. Balaji).

A memorial celebration in honor of Professor Keniston is planned for June.