PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Sargur N. Srihari

Also known as Sargur Srihari, S. N. Srihari, Hari Srihari

Sargur N. Srihari was a computer scientist at the University at Buffalo, where his research enabled machines to read handwriting. He earned an engineering degree at the Indian Institute of Science and a PhD at Ohio State University in 1976, then joined the Buffalo faculty in 1978. He founded the Center for Excellence for Document Analysis and Recognition (CEDAR) in 1991, and in 2002 he created CEDAR-FOX, software that identifies people through their handwriting. The International Association for Pattern Recognition named him a fellow in 1996, and he died in 2022 at age 72.

Timeline

  1. 1970–1976

    Degrees in India and Ohio

    He earns an engineering degree in electrical communication at the Indian Institute of Science in 1970, and a PhD in computer and information science at Ohio State University in 1976.

  2. 1978

    Joining the Buffalo faculty

    He joins the faculty of the University at Buffalo's Department of Computer Science and Engineering in 1978.

  3. 1991

    Founding the CEDAR center

    He founds the Center for Excellence for Document Analysis and Recognition (CEDAR) in 1991, and its research enables machines to read handwriting.

  4. 1996

    Named an IAPR fellow

    The International Association for Pattern Recognition names him a fellow in 1996 for contributions to character recognition.

  5. 2002

    The CEDAR-FOX system

    In 2002 he creates CEDAR-FOX, software that identifies people through their handwriting.

  6. 2007–2008

    A National Academy committee

    He serves on the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Forensic Sciences from 2007 to 2008.

  7. March 2022

    Death from glioblastoma

    He dies in 2022 at age 72 after complications from a glioblastoma.

Sources and credits

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  1. UB People Profile - University Libraries - University at Buffalo library.buffalo.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  2. Chronological List of IAPR Fellows – International Association for Pattern Recognition iapr.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  3. Inventor of the First AI System That Could Read Handwriting Dies at 72 - IEEE Spectrum spectrum.ieee.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  4. CEDAR People cedar.buffalo.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  5. Division of EECS, Indian Institute of Science eecs.iisc.ac.in. Checked 14 October 2026.
  6. Groundbreaking computer scientist Sargur Srihari dies at 72 - UBNow: News and views for UB faculty and staff - University at Buffalo buffalo.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.