ATLANTA — Narayanaswamy Radhakrishnan, 77, widely known as “Radha,” died Nov. 14, 2015, in Atlanta.

The son of T.R. Narayanaswamy and his wife Rajalakshmi, he was born in Chennai, India, and received his early education there.

Dr. Radhakrishnan earned a B.C.E. in 1959 from Anna University and an M.C.E from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay where he served as lecturer. In 1966, he was admitted to the Ph.D. program at the University of Texas at Austin, graduating in 1969, after which he returned to Chennai and married Rajam “Raji” Ramaswamy.

Radha and Raji moved to Vicksburg, where he began a 30-year career with the U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station. In 1983, he became chief, Automation Technology Center, and in 1986 founding director of the Information Technology Laboratory.

When he left WES in 1999, ITL had 400 employees, a $100-million annual program, and some of the finest facilities and equipment in the nation. He was immediately inducted to the Gallery of Distinguished Civilian Employees, the highest honor WES could bestow.

In 1999, he accepted a senior executive service appointment as director, Computational and Information Sciences Directorate, Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. For his service there, President George W. Bush presented him the Presidential Rank Award. He also was twice awarded the Army Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service and was a registered professional engineer in Mississippi.

On retiring from ARL in 2003, he became vice chancellor for Research and Economic Development at North Carolina A&T State University, where seven years of service culminated in NCA&T becoming the first historically black university chosen by the National Science Foundation to lead an Engineering Research Center. After retiring in 2010 from NCA&T, he worked three years as a consultant to Clark Atlanta and Jackson State universities.

His final rites were conducted Nov. 14, 2015, by his family, led by his son Arun and assisted by priest Phanikumar Pidaparthi, and were followed by cremation and consecration.

Dr. Radhakrishnan is survived by his wife, Rajam; son, Dr. Arun Krishnan; sister, Saraswathi Jayaraman Iyer; brother, Dr. N. Balasubramanian; and nieces and nephews.

Memorials be made to Sankara Eye Foundation, (https://giftofvision.givecorps.com/projects/8546-general-donation-a-memorial-for-dr-radhakrishnan) 1900 McCarthy Blvd., No. 302, Milpitas, CA  95035; American Bladder Cancer Society (http://bladdercancersupport.org/bladder-cancer-support/bladder-cancer-donate/memorial-donations), 339 Main St., Suite 2B, Dalton, MA  01226;  or a charity of choice.