Groundbreaking computer scientist Sargur Srihari dies at 72

Sargur “Hari” Srihari, an internationally renowned UB professor of computer science who taught computers to read handwriting and significantly advanced the fields of pattern recognition, computational forensics and machine learning, died March 8, at age 72.

A SUNY Distinguished Professor of Computer Science and Engineering and faculty member for more than 40 years, Srihari founded the Center of Excellence for Document Analysis and Recognition (CEDAR), which did groundbreaking research for the U.S. Postal Service and received more than $60 million in funding over 25 years.

Srihari’s research advances, which have received seven U.S. patents, paved the way for the handwriting-recognition technology that is used in modern systems ranging from tablets to scanners. His early research work on 3D imaging also remains influential in fields such as 3D printing.

Born in Bangalore, India, Srihari earned his PhD in 1976 from The Ohio State University, before joining UB in 1978. He is survived by his wife, Rohini, a UB professor of computer science and engineering; his sons, Dileep and Ashok (Caroline); and granddaughter, Vera.

A memorial fund has been established to support student scholarships. Visit buffalo.edu/campaign/srihari to make a donation.