Professor M.G.K. Menon is presently Advisor in the Department of Space/Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and President, India International Center, New Delhi. He is President of Indian Statistical Institute, Calcutta ; and Chancellor, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong.

Prof. Menon took his Ph.D. from the University of Bristol, UK in 1953. He has a large number of honorary doctorates from universities in India and abroad.

He is Honorary Member of the Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; Member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Rome (1981); Honorary Fellow of The Institute of Physics UK (1997); a Founding Fellow of the Third World Academy of Sciences. He was President of the International Council of Scientific Unions (1988-93).

Prof. Menon has been a recipient of many awards including those given by the President of India: Padma Shri in 1961; Padma Bhushan in 1968; and Padma Vibhushan in 1985.

Prof. Menon has been Director of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bombay (1966-1975); and Secretary to the Government of India for 12 years (1971 - 1982).

He was Member of the Planning Commission with the rank of Minister of State (1982-1989); Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister (1986-1989) and Chairman of the Science Advisory Committee to the Cabinet (1982-1985); Minister for Science & Technology, as also for Education in the Government of India; Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) during 1990-96.