Bhubaneswar, Jan. 16: Prof. Bira Kishore Sarap, eminent academician and former Principal of the Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER), passed away here on Thursday.

Prof. Sarap, who was 89, was ailing for some time. He is survived by a son and two daughters, his wife having predeceased him. Prof. Sarap provided leadership to the Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University in its formative years.

An eminent academician, he worked as Head of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at IIT Kharagpur for many years and was involved in the design of some components of the Agni missile developed by DRDO.

Earlier, he also served as Principal of the University College of Engineering (Presently Vir Surendra Sai University of Technology) at Burla.

Prof. (Dr.) Manojranjan Nayak, Founder President of SOA, expressed his profound grief and deep sense of loss at the passing away of Prof. Sarap, describing him as a distinguished academician, visionary leader, and dedicated educationist. His invaluable contributions significantly strengthened the academic foundation and institutional ethos of ITER and SOA, he said.

Prof. Sarap’s commitment to excellence in teaching and academic administration inspired generations of students and colleagues alike. He was widely respected for his integrity, wisdom, and humane approach to leadership. The SOA fraternity places on record its sincere appreciation for his selfless service and lasting contributions to the institution and the cause of higher education, Prof. (Dr.) Nayak said.