From co-founding the Internet of Things to redefining global education, MIT professor Sanjay Sarma is honored for a lifetime of innovation, leadership, and impact
CAMBRIDGE, MA–A visionary at the intersection of engineering, technology and education, Sanjay Sarma is the recipient of the 2025 Academia & Innovation Award at the New England Choice Awards. His career has transformed not only how we interact with technology—but also how we teach, learn and share knowledge across the world.
Sarma is the Fred Fort Flowers (1941) and Daniel Fort Flowers (1941) Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He co-founded the MIT Auto-ID Center, laying the technological foundation for what is now known as the Internet of Things. His pioneering work in RFID technology reshaped industries including logistics, healthcare, retail and manufacturing. He also served as chief technology officer of OATSystems, one of the first RFID software companies.
Sarma will be honored at the New England Choice Awards gala on Nov. 1, 2025, at Burlingtion Marriott Hotel in Burlington, MA.
To buy a ticket for New England Choice Awards gala, please click here.
As MIT’s former vice president for open learning, Sarma led efforts to democratize education, expanding access to high-quality learning through online and blended platforms that have reached millions globally. Most recently, he brought his leadership to Southeast Asia as president, CEO and dean of the Asia School of Business, where he continues to innovate in education and global collaboration.
Sarma has authored more than 100 influential papers on topics such as sensing, automation, computer-aided design and learning science. He serves on several corporate and nonprofit boards, including GS1 US and Hochschild Mining, and advises Fortune 500 companies and government agencies around the world.
A graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon University and the University of California, Berkeley, Sarma is not only a highly respected scholar but also a passionate advocate for innovation, accessibility and lifelong learning. His approach to life and work is grounded in the joy of creation:
“Creating something, anything—a document, an invention, a paper, a research project, a company, a university—that’s what brings me joy,” he says.
Sarma’s journey has also been shaped by resilience. Reflecting on his early academic struggles, he shares:
“Nearly failing out of IIT made me appreciate what I really cared about. About staring into the abyss, and surviving, and thriving. Made me strong.”
Whether in the lab, the classroom, the boardroom or the broader global stage, Sarma continues to shape the future through vision, creativity and action.
The New England Choice Awards proudly honors him with the 2025 Academia & Innovation Award for a lifetime of transformative contributions.
Q&A with Sanjay Sarma
INDIA New England News: Who has had the greatest influence on your personal and professional life?
Sanjay Sarma: It’s easy. I was blessed that I didn’t have to look very far. My parents and my cousins and friends at IIT. (In retrospect I was quite simple-minded). Oh, and Sunil Gavaskar.
INE: What are your three all-time favorite books, and why?
SS: I grew up in an English-speaking household and was immersed in books at an early age. These are the earliest books, and the ones that affected me the most.
• Papillon by Henri Charrière: I read this book while I was still young (probably shouldn’t have read it!) and found the story of survival and adventure utterly captivating.
• The Guns of Navarone by Alistair MacLean: I was about 11 when I read this book from my grandfather’s library. He was a WWII vet. It moved me by the story of heroism.
• Catch-22 by Joseph Heller: The absurd humor, applied to a dark background (another WWII epic), deeply shaped my view of the world.
INE: What are two quotes or sayings that you live by?
SS:
• Gandhi never really said “be the change you want to be”—he had a less pithy version—but I like it a lot.
• “People who think it can’t be done shouldn’t waste the time of those doing it.” — Anonymous.
INE: What is one hobby that brings you joy or peace?
SS: Reading. I read incessantly.
INE: What are you most passionate about?
SS: Creating something, anything: a document, an invention, a paper, a research project, a company, a university…
INE: What motivates you to do the work you do?
SS: My passion — creation. See above!
INE: Do you support or volunteer with any nonprofit or charitable causes?
SS: A few. For example, I wrote the spec for Aadhaar as a charity. But one in particular is something a group of us created called “Praapt.” I will describe it in my acceptance.
INE: If you were given a second chance at a different career, what would it be — and what draws you to it?
SS: Travel writer. I am passionate about people, cultures, connections and history.
INE: What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome, and what did you learn from it?
SS: Nearly failing out of IIT. Made me appreciate what I really cared about, about staring into the abyss, and surviving, and thriving. Made me strong.
INE: What does “community” mean to you?
SS: Mutual trust, support, forgiveness, cause and camaraderie.
INE: How do you define success today — has that definition evolved over time?
SS: Not everyone gets to follow their passion, but I have been blessed to be able to. I think if given that privilege, then pursuing it is a success. That is what has changed over the years. It is not the material—though, again, I have been privileged not to lack for that.
INE: What advice would you give to someone following in your footsteps?
SS: Obviously you need to take care of your basic needs, but to be able to pursue passions trumps most things material.
