Dr. Bala Kondugolla: Associate Professor at Annamacharay University, India

Title/Designation: Dr.

Name: Bala Kondugolla

Current Role/Designation: Associate Professor

Organization/Institution: Annamacharya University, India

Subject Track: Engineering

Key Areas of Expertise:

  • Image Processing

  • Machine Learning

  • Internet of Things (IoT)

  • Artificial Intelligence

Award Category: Best Researcher Award

Dr. K. Bala is an accomplished academician and researcher currently serving as Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Annamacharya University, Rajampet, Andhra Pradesh, India. With nearly two decades of teaching, research, and academic leadership experience, he has contributed to both undergraduate and postgraduate education by mentoring students and guiding research projects. His academic journey reflects a steady progression from Assistant Professor roles to Professor and Head of Department positions, demonstrating strong commitment to teaching, research excellence, and institutional development. Dr. Bala is recognized for his expertise in wireless communication, IoT, machine learning, and computer networks, and for authoring multiple textbooks that support both classroom learning and advanced research.

Online Profiles

Dr. Bala maintains professional visibility through his institutional association with Annamacharya University and scholarly contributions indexed in international journals. His academic outreach can be accessed via his email (kbalu443@gmail.com) and contact numbers (+91 9441816983, +91 9849376352). His Google Scholar, Scopus, and ORCID profiles, once linked, would showcase his body of work, including journal publications, conference papers, and authored books. These platforms highlight his collaborations with peers, co-authors, and his increasing influence in computer science and communication engineering research.

Education

He began his academic journey with a B.Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering from JNTUA, Anantapur in 2000, which laid the foundation for his career in engineering education. He then pursued a Master of Technology (M.Tech) in Digital Electronics and Communication Systems from SKTRM College of Engineering, Mahaboobnagar in 2012, where he enhanced his expertise in advanced communication technologies. His passion for research culminated in a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Wireless Communication from Sri Satya Sai University of Technology & Medical Sciences (SSSUTMS), Sehore, awarded in November 2021. His doctoral thesis focused on wireless heterogeneous networks with respect to seamless mobility, handover delay, quality of service, and security provisioning, making valuable contributions to addressing mobility management and latency challenges in next-generation networks.

Research Focus

Dr. Bala’s research is centered on the design, optimization, and security of wireless communication systems, particularly in heterogeneous networks. His work explores vertical handover authentication protocols, seamless mobility strategies, and QoS improvement techniques that enhance user experience in multi-network environments. Beyond wireless systems, he has extended his focus into underwater optical wireless communication (UOWC), where he has investigated the role of neural networks in mitigating beam divergence and power loss. In recent years, he has also directed research toward Internet of Things (IoT) frameworks, machine learning-based optimization, and signal processing, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach that bridges theory with emerging technologies in communication and computing.

Experience

Over the course of his academic career, Dr. Bala has held a variety of teaching and leadership roles across multiple institutions in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. He began his teaching journey in 2006 as Assistant Professor at Maheswara Group of Institutions, Hyderabad, and subsequently served in institutions such as Global College of Engineering & Technology, JNTUA College of Engineering (Pulivendula), Balaliji Institute of Technology & Science (Proddatur), and Modugula Kalavatamma Institute of Technology for Women (Rajampet). His leadership potential was recognized in 2013 when he was appointed Associate Professor and Head of Department (HOD) at Srinivasa Institute of Technology & Science, Kadapa, a position he held for seven years. Later, he advanced to the role of Professor at Global College of Engineering & Technology before joining Annamacharya University in 2022, where he continues to teach, research, and guide students.

Research Timeline & Activities

Dr. Bala’s research trajectory can be viewed as a systematic growth in both academic output and applied contributions. Between 2006 and 2012, he concentrated on establishing himself as a dedicated teacher while exploring early research themes. From 2013 to 2020, as HOD, he actively promoted research culture in his department, encouraged student projects, and initiated collaborations in wireless technologies. During his Ph.D. years (2017–2021), he produced impactful publications on seamless mobility and handover delay in wireless networks. Since 2021, he has extended his research into emerging areas like IoT, underwater optical wireless communication, and machine learning for optimization problems, while also publishing multiple academic textbooks that enrich student learning and professional development in the field of computer science.

Awards & Honors

Dr. Bala’s long teaching and research career has been marked by growing recognition within academia. His academic leadership roles, particularly as Head of Department, reflect trust in his ability to guide institutional growth. His publications in reputed international journals and authorship of books with SCIRO International Publishers (2024–2025) highlight his scholarly impact. While specific awards have not been listed, his academic progress and contributions through books, teaching, and applied research demonstrate professional acknowledgment and recognition by peers, colleagues, and students alike.

Top Noted Publication

Among his scholarly contributions, one of his most significant works is the paper titled “Optimized attention neural network based joint link misalignment and beam divergence power optimization for underwater optical wireless communications”, published in Optical and Quantum Electronics (Vol. 56, 2024). This paper presents a cutting-edge approach to improving the efficiency and reliability of underwater communication networks, a domain with growing importance in defense, oceanography, and offshore industries. The study highlights Dr. Bala’s strength in combining artificial intelligence techniques with communication engineering to address real-world technological challenges.

Research Metrics

  • Documents Indexed in Scopus: 1

  • Citations: 1 (cited by 1 document)

  • h-index: 1

Publications (Scopus Indexed)

  1. Optimized attention neural network based joint link misalignment and beam divergence power optimization for underwater optical wireless communications
    Journal: Optical and Quantum Electronics, 2024
    Citation Count: 1

Strengths for the Best Researcher Award

  1. Proven Research Contributions in Wireless & Emerging Communication Technologies
    Dr. Bala has advanced the field of wireless heterogeneous networks by addressing critical challenges such as seamless mobility, handover delay, and QoS provisioning. His research also extends into underwater optical wireless communication (UOWC), integrating neural network models to optimize link reliability, demonstrating both depth and interdisciplinarity in his scholarly work.

  2. Interdisciplinary Expertise Bridging Communication, AI, and IoT
    His expertise spans image processing, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and IoT, with a focus on applying advanced computational methods to optimize real-world communication systems. This interdisciplinary approach highlights his ability to integrate core engineering principles with emerging AI-driven technologies.

  3. Strong Academic & Leadership Record
    With nearly two decades of teaching and research experience, Dr. Bala has held key leadership positions including Associate Professor, Professor, and Head of Department at multiple institutions. His ability to build academic programs, mentor postgraduate researchers, and promote research culture underscores his impact on both students and institutional development.

  4. Recognized Scholarly Output & Publications
    His significant paper “Optimized attention neural network based joint link misalignment and beam divergence power optimization for underwater optical wireless communications” (Optical & Quantum Electronics, 2024) has gained international recognition. Additionally, he has authored textbooks (2024–2025, Sciro International Publishers), reflecting his contribution to both research advancement and academic pedagogy.

  5. Demonstrated Research Impact & Professional Visibility
    Although at an early stage of Scopus-indexed citations (h-index 1), his publications address highly relevant domains with growing industrial and societal applications (wireless networks, IoT, UOWC). His visibility as a researcher is strengthened through academic profiles, publications, and collaborations that continue to expand his influence in engineering research.

Bala Kondugolla, Engineering, Best Researcher Award