Distinguished alumni awards are conferred on IISc Alumni in recognition of their excellent contribution towards the growth of Science and Technology. The following is the list of IISc’s distinguished Alumni, with a brief mention of their contributions, positions held, and the year in which the award was conferred upon them.

• Prof. G. N. Ramachandran, 1977. Widely acknowledged as one of the most important Indian scientists of the 20th century, best known for the creation of the Ramachandran Map for understanding peptide structure. He was also a Faculty Member at IISc.

• Dr. Sukh Dev, 1978. Former INSA S. N. Bose Res. Professor, IIT, Delhi & Director, Malti-Chem Research Centre, Vadodara.

• Sri C. R. Subramanian, 1979. Former Chairman & Managing Director, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).

• Prof. Harish-Chandra, 1980. Well-known Mathematician and Physicist.

• Sri T. R. Satish Chandran, 1981. Former Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister and Former Governor of Goa.

• Prof. T. R. Anantharaman, 1982. Former Director, Institute of Technology, Banarus Hindu University.

• Prof. C. N. R. Rao, 1983. Former Director, IISc, Former President, JN Centre for Advanced Scientific Research

• Prof. Satish Dhawan, 1984. Former Director, IISc and Former Chairman, Space Commission.

• Dr. V. Jagannathan, 1985 Former Head, Biotechnology, Tata Energy Research Institute, Delhi.

• Dr. S. R, Valluri, 1986. Former Director, NAL.

• Prof. B. V. Sreekantan, 1987. Former Director, TIFR, Bombay.

• Prof. Roddam Narasimh,. 1988. Former Director, NAL and Former Director, NIAS.

• Prof. P. Somasundaran, 1989. Former Chairman, Henry Krumb School of Mines, Columbia University; Director, IUCRC for Advanced Studies in Novel Surfactants, Director, Langmuir Center for Colloids and Interfaces, Columbia University.

• Dr. P. Rama Rao, 1990. Former Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.

• Prof. R. Chidambaram, 1991. Currently Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India; Former Director, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Former Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission of India.

• Prof. V. J. Modi, 1992. Former professor, Researcher in space dynamics, control, fluid mechanics, and biomechanics. University of British Columbia.

• Dr. N Seshagiri, 1993. Former Director General, National Informatic Centre, New Delhi.

• Dr. M. Ramamoorthy, 1994. Former Director General of Central Power Research Institute and former Director of Electrical Research and Development Association, Vadodara).

• Prof. R. Kumar, 1995. Emeritus Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, IISc.

• Prof. M.A. Viswamitra, 1996. Emeritus Professor, Department of Physics, IISc.

• Dr. R.R. Tummala, 1997. Director, Packaging Research Center, Georgia Tech.

• Dr. V. K. Aatre, 1998. Former director, DRDO, Former Scientific Adviser to Defense Minister, and Former Secretary, Department of Defense Research & Development, Ministry of Defence, New Delhi.

• Prof. G. Padmanabhan, 1999. Former Director, I.I.Sc.

• Dr. Ramadas P. Shenoy, 2000. Former Director of Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE) and 'Distinguished Scientist' of DRDO.

• Prof. P. Ramachandra Rao, 2001. Vice-Chancellor, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.

• Prof. S. S. Iyengar, 2001. Chairman and Professor, Computer Science Dept., Louisiana State University, USA.

• Prof. Satya N. Atluri, 2002 Director, Center for Aerospace Research and Education, University of California, Irvine, USA.

• Prof. A. Sridharan. 2002, Formerly Deputy Director and Advisor, IISc.

• Prof. K. R. Sreenivasan, 2003. International Center for Theoretical Physics.

• Prof. Brij M. Moudgil, 2003. Director of the Engineering Research Center for Particle Science and Technology, University of Florida, USA.

• Prof. H.S. Mukunda, 2004. Honorary Advisor, ABETS, Combustion, Gasification & Propulsion Laboratory of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Science.

• Prof. B. L. Deekshatulu, 2004. Former director, National Remote Sensing Agency, India, Hyderabad. Former Director of Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific (CSSTE-AP), Affiliated to the United Nations, Indian Institute of remote sensing Campus, Dehra Dun. Visiting Professor, Department of Computer & Information Science, University of Hyderabad.

• Prof. M. Vijayan, 2005. Hon. Professor & Distinguished Biotechnologist, Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science.

• Dr. Ashok k. Sinha, 2005. Senior Vice President and General Manager, Applied Material inc., USA.