Education: He Completed his Schooling from Vallabh Vidyanagar, Master's Degree in Physics and Electronics from Maharaja Sayajirao University in Vadodara, Master's Degree in Physics, Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering from The Illinois Institute Of Technology in Chicago.

Biography: He is Popularly Known as The Father Of India's Computer and IT Revolution as He helped Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in Bringing Computerization as an Advisor to The PM. He was Also an Advisor to The PM During Dr. Manmohan Singh's Tenure. He was Born Titlagarh in The Eastern Indian State Of Odisha to a Gujarati Family.

Pitroda was Born in Titlagarh, Odisha, India to Gujarati Parents. He had Seven Siblings and is Third Oldest Among Them. The Family was Deeply Influenced By Mahatma Gandhi and his Philosophy. Consequently, Pitroda and his Brother were sent to Gujarat to Imbibe Gandhian Philosophy. He Completed his Schooling from Vallabh Vidyanagar in Gujarat and Completed his Master's Degree in Physics and Electronics from Maharaja Sayajirao University in Vadodara. After Completing his Master's Degree in Physics he Went to The United States in 1964 And Obtained a Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering from The Illinois Institute Of Technology In Chicago.

In 1966 He Went to Work For GTE in Chicago. He is Regarded as One Of The Earliest Pioneers Of Hand-Held Computing Because Of his Invention Of The Electronic Diary in 1975. in 1974, Pitroda Joined Wescom Switching Which was One Of The First Digital Switching Companies. He Developed The 580 DSS Switch, Over Nearly Four Years. it Was Released in 1978. Wescom was Acquired By Rockwell International in 1980, Where Pitroda became Vice President. During his four Decades as an Engineer, Pitroda Filed Scores Of Patents in Telecommunications. The Latest Set Of Patents Relate to Mobile Phone-Based Transaction Technology, both Financial and Non-Financial.

He Spent Nearly a Decade With Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi as The Leader Of an Effort to Build an Indian Information Industry. The Task was to Extend Digital Telecommunications to Every Corner Of The Country, Including Remote Villages, Like The One Of His Birth. Pitroda Launched The Center For The Development Of Telematics (C-DOT) and Served as Advisor to The Prime Minister On Technology Missions Related to Water, Literacy, Immunization, Oil Seeds, Telecom, and Dairy. He Is also The Founding Chairman Of India's Telecom Commission.

Pitroda Returned to India a Second Time in 2004 to Focus On Building Knowledge Institutions and Infrastructure. Pitroda Served as Chairman Of The National Knowledge Commission (2005–2009), A High-Level Advisory Body to The Prime Minister Of India, To Give Policy Recommendations for Improving Knowledge-Related Institutions and Infrastructure in The Country. During its Term, The National Knowledge Commission Submitted Around 300 Recommendations On 27 Focus Areas.

Pitroda also Founded The National Innovation Council (2010), and Served as The Advisor to The Prime Minister with Rank of a Cabinet Minister On Public Information Infrastructure And Innovation, to Help Democratize Information.

Pitroda Founded and Served as Chairman Of C-SAM. The Company Maintains its Headquarters in Chicago With Offices in Singapore, Tokyo, Pune, Mumbai And Vadodara. Pitroda holds around 100 Technology Patents, has been Involved in Several Start-Ups and Lectures Extensively.

Pitroda has also Started Several Businesses as a Serial Entrepreneur (Wescom Switching, Ionics, MTI, Market, Worldtel, C-SAM, Etc.) in The US and Europe.

He has also Served as an Advisor to The United Nations and in 1992, His Biography Sam Pitroda: a Biography was Published and Became a Bestseller On The Economic Times List for Five Weeks.

He is Living in Chicago, Illinois Since 1964 With His Wife and two Children and Also in Delhi.

In 1987 During his Tenure as Advisor to Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Pitroda Headed Six Technology Missions Related to Telecommunications, Water, Literacy, Immunization, Dairy, and Oilseeds. He Founded and was The First Chairman, Of India's Telecom Commission.

Pitroda Contributed to India's Foreign and Domestic Telecommunications Policies. He is Considered One Among Many to Be Responsible for The Telecommunication Revolution in India and Specifically, The Ubiquitous, Yellow-Signed Public Call Offices (PCO) That Quickly Brought Cheap and Easy Domestic and International Public Telephones All Over The Country.

In The 1990s Pitroda Returned to Chicago To Resume his Business Interests. in May 1995, He Became The First Chairman Of Worldtel Initiative Of The International Telecommunication Union.

When The United Progressive Alliance Government Came to Power Following The 2004 General Elections, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Invited him to Head The National Knowledge Commission Of India. In July 2009, The Government Of India Invited Pitroda to head an Expert Committee On ICT In Railways. In October 2009, Pitroda was appointed as advisor to PM Of India Manmohan Singh On Public Information Infrastructure and Innovations with The Rank Of Cabinet Minister.

In August 2010, Pitroda Was Appointed Chairman Of The National Innovation Council. He Was Appointed As The Chancellor Of The Central University Of Rajasthan By The President Of India In 2013.

In 2017, He Was Appointed As Chairman Of Alpha-En Corporation, A Lithium Metal Clean Technology Company.

Politics

In 2017, Pitroda Was Appointed As Chairman Of Indian Overseas Congress By President Of Indian National Congress, A Major Indian Political Party.