Just 3 days after the shocking resignation of former OSU president Ted Carter, Ravi V. Bellamkonda became the school’s 18th president. His familiarity with the program since last season and his experience put him in this position.

But behind this success, there is a person who always stands by Bellamkonda’s side: his wife. From India to the United States in 1989 for higher studies, her support never wavered.

Who is Ravi V. Bellamkonda’s wife?

Ravi V. Bellamkonda’s wife is Dr. Lalita Kaligotla. She is an expert in leadership development. Currently, at the OSU College of Nursing, she is a clinical associate professor and the senior director of leadership and innovation. To cap it off, she has held significant roles in academic administration and faculty leadership at institutions where Ravi also served.

Despite being part of a loving partnership, she has always remained ambitious in her own career. But her role in the OSU president’s journey has been immense.

“She changed my life,” said Bellamkonda.

But how these two met and helped each other grow is really interesting to learn about.

How long have Ravi V. Bellamkonda and Lalita Kaligotla been married?

Although specific public anecdotes detailing their first meeting are not publicly available, their lives and careers have been closely intertwined. She is from Hyderabad, India, where Ravi pursued his bachelor’s degree. So they might have known each other from India.

However, before arriving at OSU, both had spent a long time in academia, moving together through prestigious institutions, including Case Western Reserve University, Duke University, Georgia Tech, and Emory.

Through their shared work in higher education, they might have met, but the specific date of their wedding vows is not known. Still, these two have been together for over 27 years, happily married.

How many children does Ravi V. Bellamkonda have?

The OSU president and his wife are the proud parents of two children. The couple has one son, Mihir, and a daughter, Ameya. As of 2025, Ameya joined Wake Forest University, while their son graduated from Duke University. But their family doesn’t end there, as they have a Goldendoodle named CJ.

“Our family has found a home at Ohio State, and we are looking forward to doing hard things worth doing—together with this dynamic community of citizens,” said Ravi V. Bellamkonda. “Our relentless pursuit of excellence has the power to transform the world starting right here in Ohio.”

But the family’s roots are not originally from the United States.

What is Ravi V. Bellamkonda’s ethnicity and background?

The 18th president of OSU is an Indian-American. Born in 1968 in India, he grew up there before moving to the US for graduate studies. But he earned his Bachelor of Science from Osmania University in Hyderabad. After earning his PhD in medical science and biomaterials from Brown University in 1994, the young researcher faced the everyday challenges of adapting to life in the States.

Yet those small cultural hurdles were only the beginning of a much larger path. Soon after, he joined MIT as a Markey Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. While his original plan was to complete his research and return to India, Bellamkonda’s growing ambition to transform the medical field through biomedical engineering ultimately reshaped that plan.

Now, he is a US citizen. But his journey from a professor to president of OSU came after a long, nearly 31-year experience starting in 1995 as an Elmer L. Lindseth Assistant Professor at Case Western Reserve.

How did Ravi V. Bellamkonda become president of Ohio State?

The leadership change at OSU came after former president Ted Carter stepped down in early March. The university’s board confronted him over an alleged inappropriate relationship. Carter admitted to the relationship and offered his resignation, which the board accepted on March 7. However, the news became public two days later.

Amid the leadership vacuum, attention shifted to Ravi V. Bellamkonda, who had already been shaping the university’s academic vision as provost. During his previous leadership roles, including at Emory University, Bellamkonda built a reputation for faculty development, championing innovation, and interdisciplinary research.

At OSU, he quickly pushed forward ambitious initiatives. Through programs such as the “Game Changer Scholars” initiative and the expansion of AI education across disciplines, Bellamkonda positioned himself as a forward-thinking leader. That ultimately paved the way for his rise to the presidency at one of the nation’s largest public universities.