Professor Koneru Gopal Krishna – NPTEL STAR
Professor Koneru Gopal Krishna truly embodies a curiosity-driven learner. While he graduated at the top of his Mechanical Engineering class from Andhra University and holds an MTech in Physics from IISc Bangalore, it’s his undying curiosity for learning that truly defines him. He was consistently seen as an ideal student, always learning beyond textbooks and prioritizing hands-on experience.
He has moved through different corporate roles in his career spanning decades. However, after a significant setback in 2009 led to him being laid off despite his competence, he secured a temporary visiting faculty position at BITS-Pilani. It was there, through the institute’s Work Integrated Learning Program (WILP), that he soon discovered his true calling.
Starting off as a ‘rookie’ teacher, he soon learnt and adapted himself to the teaching world. Students nicknamed him the ‘out-of-syllabus’ professor for his real-world and curiosity-driven teaching. He believed in sparking curiosity over delivering content.
In 2018, a poster on the institute’s notice board caught his attention, opening yet another door for the continuous learner within him: NPTEL’s online courses.. And since then, he has completed over 70+ courses across disciplines.
The platform’s certification, approved by the Department of Education, Govt of India, was more than just an incentive. He immersed himself in course after course, driven by both his teaching requirements and his personal passion.
During the pandemic, he transformed his quarantine room into an NPTEL study. He proudly maintains thick notebooks filled with notes from every lecture. “I prepare extensive notes by hand by watching the videos,” he explains, and believes that careful note-taking is a way to internalise knowledge. Remarkably, he did 12 courses in a single semester, balancing them with his weekend teaching at BITS. “I am an NPTEL student during the weekdays and a BITS professor on the weekends,” he jokes. He shared that he never gets stressed by the process, attributing this to his strategic approach to learning, which he customizes to fit his individual needs and abilities.
He spends a maximum of 4 hours studying daily – 2 hours each in the morning and evening. Strongly advocating for learnability, he advises students to choose courses they genuinely feel comfortable with, emphasizing that the focus should be on actual learning rather than solely on achieving high grades. He insists that it’s not necessary to understand everything immediately or to achieve top grades. What truly matters, he believes, is one’s capacity to learn and solve problems. Ultimately, the genuine enjoyment of a course is what counts most.
Prof. Krishna wholeheartedly praises NPTEL as a platform that democratizes education, dismantling all barriers to learning. He even refers to it as the “greatest liberation.”
For him, being recognized as an NPTEL STAR is more than just a milestone; it’s a profound validation of his core belief that learning should have no age, no boundary, and no precondition. Given his remarkable statistics—over 100 courses completed across NPTEL (72), SWAYAM (30+), and NPTEL Domains (7 courses)—it’s clear why he holds such a strong conviction.
Professor Krishna’s story illustrates that learning isn’t a phase of life, but a lifetime commitment. As he puts it, “We don’t have to be experts in anything, we just need to stay open to learning.” His journey serves as a powerful reminder that true education isn’t about grades, designations, or degrees, but rather the courage to stay curious, ask questions, and to evolve continuously.
– Written by Asha Thangaraj