Dr. T. A. V. Murthy served as the Director of the Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET) Centre from 2001 to 2006. Notably, he was the first professional from the library and information science community to lead this prestigious national network. His tenure marked an important milestone in the recognition of library professionals in national academic infrastructure leadership.
Dr. Murthy brings with him a rich legacy of experience in managing and modernizing libraries at several prestigious institutions in India. These include the Administrative Staff College of India, Hyderabad; Institute of Defence Management, Secunderabad; University of Hyderabad; Small Industry Extension Training Institute (SIET), Hyderabad; Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi; National Library, Kolkata; Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi; and the Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages (CIEFL), Hyderabad.
During the early stages of his career, he also worked as a postgraduate research student at the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., and Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA, gaining international exposure to advanced library and information systems.
Throughout his career, Dr. Murthy has been widely recognized for introducing innovative library services powered by information technology. Some of his most significant contributions include:
Establishing the UGC-Infonet e-Journal Consortium, which later evolved into the national One Nation One Subscription initiative.
Promoting and disseminating the SOUL (Software for University Libraries) integrated library management system across Indian academic libraries.
Launching several national-level capacity building and professional development programs for librarians, including CALIBER, IRTPLA, and IT@AGRILIBNET.
Developing special initiatives to support libraries in North-Eastern India, including the PLANNER Conference series.
Initiating the Digital Library of Indian Ph.D. Theses, which is now widely known as Shodhganga.
Establishing the Kalanidhi Reference Library and Manuscript Information System at IGNCA.
Leading the Multimedia Digital Library Project at IGNCA and setting up the Digital Laboratory at CIEFL.
Dr. Murthy’s contributions have had a profound impact on the development of digital library infrastructure, scholarly communication, and professional capacity building in India. He has been associated with several universities across the country as an academic guide and has supervised a number of Ph.D. scholars in library and information science.
He has actively contributed to the profession through his involvement in national and international professional associations, participation in several expert committees at the national level, and through his research publications and books. He has also organized numerous innovative training and professional development programs at the institutions where he served.
Dr. Murthy holds an M.Sc. in Library Science from the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., USA, (1974), a Master of Library Information Science MLISc from Delhi University (1971) and a Ph.D. in Library Science from Karnataka University, Dharwad, India (1984). He is a Fellow of the Society of Information Scientists. Known for his exceptional oratory skills and deep understanding of information technology and scientific management of libraries, he has been a respected voice in the field.
He also served as an elected member of the IFLA Asia and Oceania Section and the Art Libraries Section, and has traveled extensively across India and internationally, visiting more than 25 countries in connection with professional engagements and academic collaborations.