Mumbai, Sep 28 (TNN): At 38, Dadar boy Vikram Deshpande is all set to become one of the youngest professors at Cambridge University. When he assumes his new role from October 1, he will be one among a handful of Indian professors there. Deshpande, an alumnus of IIT-Bombay, is currently a reader in the engineering faculty at Cambridge.

"It's important to pursue a career in a field that you are passionate about. Only then can you work hard at it," Deshpande told TOI from the UK.

As a student at Bombay Scottish School, Mahim, Deshpande was a far cry from the stereotypical image of a studious child. His father, Sudhir Deshpande, recalls how mischievous he was as a kid, and how, on field trips and at the airport, he was the first to give his parents the slip to "discover the place".

"He was very bright but everyone thought his elder brother was cleverer at studies than he was," his father said. While Deshpande was a fun-loving, friendly lad during his student days in Mumbai, his talent did not go unnoticed. His guide at IIT-Bombay, MSC Bose, wrote him a glowing testimonial way back in 1994.

"Over the past 25 years, at IIT-Bombay I have had more than 50 BTech project students. It is safe to say that Mr Deshpande is the star of this group.... (he) is a gifted student, has expertise in computer analysis and optimal design of automobile systems. There is no doubt in my mind that he will become an outstanding teacher and researcher," said Bose in a letter of recommendation for Deshpande.

Seven years ago, Deshpande hit the headlines after being awarded the Philip Leverhulme prize worth 50,000 pounds. The prize is awarded to scholars in UK institutions for outstanding research achievements.

Deshpande has spent the better part of his career shuttling between the UK and the US. After a PhD at the engineering department of Cambridge University and a research fellowship at Brown University in the US, he was appointed assistant lecturer at Cambridge in October 1999. Exactly 11 years down the line, he has made it to the post of professor at Cambridge.

During the last decade, he had a brief stint as associate professor at the University of California.