# Rajeev Motwani

> Indian theoretical computer scientist and venture capitalist at Stanford University (1962–2009)

**Wikidata**: [Q92963](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q92963)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajeev_Motwani)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/rajeev-motwani

## Summary
Rajeev Motwani was an Indian theoretical computer scientist and venture capitalist at Stanford University, best known for his foundational contributions to algorithms, complexity theory, and data mining. He mentored key figures in Silicon Valley, including Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, and received prestigious awards like the Gödel Prize and ACM Fellowship.

## Biography
- **Born**: March 26, 1962, in Jammu, India
- **Nationality**: Indian
- **Education**:
  - Ph.D. in Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley (1988)
  - Bachelor's in Computer Science, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (1983)
- **Known for**: Advances in algorithms, complexity theory, and mentoring tech entrepreneurs
- **Employer(s)**: Stanford University
- **Field(s)**: Theoretical computer science, data mining, venture capital

## Contributions
Rajeev Motwani made seminal contributions to computer science, particularly in algorithms and complexity theory. His work on *Probabilistic Checking of Proofs* (1992) and *Interactive Proofs and the Hardness of Approximating Cliques* (1993) earned him the **Gödel Prize in 2001**. He co-authored influential papers on data streaming, locality-sensitive hashing, and web search algorithms, shaping modern computational techniques.

As a mentor, he advised Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page during their early research on PageRank. His doctoral students, including **Moses Charikar, Suresh Venkatasubramanian, and Sanjeev Khanna**, became leading computer scientists. Motwani also co-founded **Baynote**, a behavioral targeting company, and invested in startups like **PayPal and Google**.

## FAQs
### Q: What was Rajeev Motwani’s most famous contribution?
A: His work on *Probabilistic Checking of Proofs* (1992) and *Interactive Proofs* (1993) earned the Gödel Prize and advanced computational complexity theory.

### Q: Did Rajeev Motwani mentor Google’s founders?
A: Yes, he advised Sergey Brin and Larry Page at Stanford, helping refine their PageRank algorithm, which became core to Google’s search engine.

### Q: What awards did Rajeev Motwani receive?
A: He won the **Gödel Prize (2001)**, **Sloan Fellowship (1995)**, and was named an **ACM Fellow (2007)**.

### Q: Where did Rajeev Motwani teach?
A: He was a professor at **Stanford University** from 1988 until his death in 2009.

### Q: How did Rajeev Motwani die?
A: He died accidentally by drowning in his pool in Atherton, California, on June 5, 2009.

## Why They Matter
Motwani’s research bridged theoretical computer science and real-world applications, influencing search engines, data mining, and cryptography. His mentorship shaped Silicon Valley’s tech landscape, with protégés founding or leading major companies. Without his guidance, Google’s early development might have taken a different path. His algorithms remain foundational in computational theory, and his venture capital work supported startups that defined the internet era.

## Notable For
- **Gödel Prize (2001)** for work on interactive proofs and approximation hardness
- **Mentor to Google co-founders** Sergey Brin and Larry Page
- **ACM Fellow (2007)** for contributions to algorithms and complexity theory
- **Doctoral advisor** to prominent computer scientists (e.g., Moses Charikar, Suresh Venkatasubramanian)
- **Venture capitalist** investing in PayPal, Google, and other tech startups

## Body
### Early Life and Education
Rajeev Motwani was born on **March 26, 1962, in Jammu, India**. He earned his **Bachelor’s in Computer Science from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (1983)** and his **Ph.D. from UC Berkeley (1988)**, advised by **Richard M. Karp**.

### Academic Career
Motwani joined **Stanford University** in 1988, where he became a professor of computer science. His research focused on:
- **Algorithms** (e.g., locality-sensitive hashing)
- **Complexity theory** (e.g., PCP theorem applications)
- **Data mining** (e.g., streaming algorithms)

### Key Publications
- *Probabilistic Checking of Proofs* (1992, with Arora et al.) – Introduced the PCP theorem.
- *Interactive Proofs and the Hardness of Approximating Cliques* (1993) – Gödel Prize-winning work.
- *The PageRank Citation Ranking* (1998, with Brin et al.) – Foundational to Google’s search algorithm.

### Mentorship and Industry Impact
Motwani advised **over 30 doctoral students**, many of whom became leaders in academia and industry. His most famous mentees:
- **Sergey Brin and Larry Page** (Google co-founders)
- **Moses Charikar** (Stanford professor)
- **Suresh Venkatasubramanian** (computer scientist and policy advisor)

He also co-founded **Baynote** and invested in startups like **PayPal and Google**.

### Awards and Honors
- **Gödel Prize (2001)**
- **Sloan Fellowship (1995)**
- **ACM Fellow (2007)**

### Death and Legacy
Motwani died on **June 5, 2009**, in Atherton, California, due to accidental drowning. His work remains influential in computer science, and his mentorship legacy endures in Silicon Valley.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Person",
  "name": "Rajeev Motwani",
  "jobTitle": "Theoretical Computer Scientist",
  "worksFor": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Stanford University"
  },
  "nationality": {
    "@type": "Country",
    "name": "India"
  },
  "birthDate": "1962-03-26",
  "birthPlace": "Jammu, India",
  "alumniOf": [
    {
      "@type": "EducationalOrganization",
      "name": "University of California, Berkeley"
    },
    {
      "@type": "EducationalOrganization",
      "name": "Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur"
    }
  ],
  "knowsAbout": ["Computer Science", "Algorithms", "Complexity Theory"],
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q434951",
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajeev_Motwani"
  ],
  "description": "Indian theoretical computer scientist and venture capitalist at Stanford University (1962–2009)."
}

## References

1. [Rajeev Motwani dies at 47; Stanford professor mentored Google. 2009](http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-rajeev-motwani10-2009jun10-story.html)
2. [Stanford tech mentor was drunk when he drowned. 2009](https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Stanford-tech-mentor-was-drunk-when-he-drowned-3292527.php)
3. Integrated Authority File
4. [Source](http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-rajeev-motwani10-2009jun10-story.html)
5. [Source](https://www.sigact.org/prizes/g%C3%B6del/2001.html)
6. [Source](http://www.cirxit.com/ab_rajiv.htm)
7. [Source](https://awards.acm.org/award_winners/motwani_4305223#158)
8. [Source](https://www.acm.org/media-center/2007/december/acm-names-38-fellows-for-computing-and-it-innovations-in-industry-education-entertainment)
9. Mathematics Genealogy Project
10. International Standard Name Identifier
11. Virtual International Authority File
12. CiNii Research
13. [Source](https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Stanford-tech-mentor-was-drunk-when-he-drowned-3292527.php)
14. MacTutor History of Mathematics archive
15. [Source](http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2009/06/01/daily84.html)
16. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
17. IdRef
18. CONOR.SI
19. Quora
20. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File