About
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics at Newman College, Thodupuzha, Kerala, India, affiliated to Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, where I am also a research guide for doctoral students. I work in coding and information theory, with a focus on algebraic constructions of codes for distributed storage and data retrieval.
Before joining Newman College, I was a postdoctoral research fellow in Prof. Vitaly Skachek's group at the Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Estonia, supported by a Mobilitas Pluss grant from the Estonian Research Council. Earlier I was a research fellow in Prof. Vincent Y. F. Tan's group in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore. I received my PhD in Mathematical Sciences from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, under the supervision of Prof. Frédérique Oggier.
Research
My recent work studies batch codes and PIR codes, which let a distributed storage system answer many read requests in parallel, and how finite groups can be used to construct them. My doctoral work used group theory to study the region of entropic vectors and to build quasi-uniform codes from finite groups, along with their parameters and applications to storage.
Research Interests
- Classical coding theory via algebra and graph theory
- Erasure coding for distributed storage
- Batch and PIR codes
- Group theory in information theory
- Algebraic and combinatorial problems in coding
Doctoral Research
My PhD thesis, Quasi-Uniform Codes and Information Inequalities Using Group Theory, written under the supervision of Prof. Frédérique Oggier at Nanyang Technological University, studies the region of entropic vectors through the connection between group theory and information theory. It constructs quasi-uniform codes from finite groups, determines their parameters and examines their applications to storage.
Erdős Number
Eldho K. Thomas → Ago-Erik Riet → Zoltán Füredi → Paul Erdős
Academic lineage: Mathematics Genealogy Project
See the publications page for the full list of papers.
Publications
Preprint
- P1
Journal Articles
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J4
Batch Codes for Asynchronous Recovery of Data
IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, vol. 68, no. 3, pp. 1545–1559, March 2022.
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J3
Polar Coding for the Binary Erasure Channel with Deletions
IEEE Communications Letters, vol. 21, no. 4, pp. 710–713, 2017.
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J2
On Group Violations of Inequalities in Five Subgroups
Advances in Mathematics of Communications, vol. 10, no. 4, 2016.
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J1
On Abelian Group Representability of Finite Groups
Advances in Mathematics of Communications, vol. 8, no. 2, 2014.
Book Chapter
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B1
Constructions and Bounds for Batch Codes with Small Parameters
In Á. I. Barbero, V. Skachek, Ø. Ytrehus (eds.), Coding Theory and Applications: 5th International Castle Meeting, ICMCTA 2017, Vihula, Estonia, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 10495, Springer, Cham, pp. 283–295, 2017.
Conference Proceedings
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C5
Asynchronous Batch and PIR Codes from Hypergraphs
IEEE Information Theory Workshop (ITW), Guangzhou, China, pp. 1–5, 2018.
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C4
Applications of Quasi-Uniform Codes to Storage
International Conference on Signal Processing and Communications (SPCOM), Bangalore, India, 2014.
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C3
Groups and Information Inequalities in 5 Variables
51st Annual Allerton Conference on Communication, Control, and Computing, Illinois, USA, 2013.
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C2
Explicit Constructions of Quasi-Uniform Codes from Groups
IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory (ISIT), Istanbul, Turkey, 2013.
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C1
A Note on Quasi-Uniform Distributions and Abelian Group Representability
International Conference on Signal Processing and Communications (SPCOM), Bangalore, India, 2012.
Doctoral Thesis
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T1
Quasi-Uniform Codes and Information Inequalities Using Group Theory
PhD thesis, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 2015.
Citation counts are on Google Scholar.
Research Supervision
Research guide, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam
Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics, Newman College, Thodupuzha
Area: Algebraic constructions of locally repairable codes and batch codes
Talks
- Aug 2023Mathematics in Modern LifeAssociation inaugural lecture, St. Joseph's College, Moolamattom, Kerala
- Dec 2022An Introduction to Coding TheoryRamanujan Day lecture, Nirmala College, Muvattupuzha, Kerala
- May 2021Batch Codes for Cloud Storage: An OverviewInternational Seminar on Recent Trends in Applied Mathematics, KSMDB College, Sasthamcotta, Kerala
- Feb 2020Asynchronous Batch Codes: An IntroductionInternational Seminar on Recent Trends in Mathematics and Some Applications, Ettumanoorappan College, Kerala
- Jul 2017Constructions and Bounds for Batch Codes with Small ParametersInstitute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Estonia
- Feb 2017Batch Codes and PIR Codes: An IntroductionInternational Seminar on Algebra and Coding Theory (INSACT), St. Berchmans College, Changanassery, Kerala
- Oct 2016Group Theoretic Construction of Quasi-Uniform CodesJoint Estonian-Latvian Theory Days, Lilaste, Latvia
- May 2015Quasi-Uniform Codes and Ingleton Inequalities Using Group TheoryDepartment of ECE, National University of Singapore
- Jul 2014Applications of Quasi-Uniform Codes to StorageSPCOM, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
- Jul 2013Explicit Constructions of Quasi-Uniform Codes from GroupsIEEE ISIT, Istanbul, Turkey
- Jul 2012A Note on Quasi-Uniform Distributions and Abelian Group RepresentabilitySPCOM, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
Experience & Education
Positions
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2020–Present
Assistant Professor Department of Mathematics, Newman College, Thodupuzha, Kerala, India (Mahatma Gandhi University) Research guide, MG University
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2016–2020
Postdoctoral Research Fellow Prof. Vitaly Skachek's group, Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Estonia
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2015–2016
Research Fellow Prof. Vincent Y. F. Tan's group, Department of ECE, National University of Singapore
Education
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2010–2015
PhD in Mathematical Sciences School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
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2008–2009
MSc in Mathematical Sciences University of Liverpool, United Kingdom
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2006–2008
MSc in Mathematics St. Thomas College, Pala (Mahatma Gandhi University)
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2003–2006
BSc in Mathematics Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala
Grants & Awards
- Mobilitas Pluss Postdoctoral Researcher GrantEstonian Research Council · Study of Novel Codes for Problems in Distributed Systems · €63,420
- NTU Research ScholarshipNanyang Technological University
- International Advancement AwardUniversity of Liverpool
Teaching
Current Courses
BSc Mathematics (Hons)
- MG1DSCMAT100Ground Roots of Mathematics
- MG3DSCMAT200Perspectives of Mathematics
- MG5DSCMAT302Fundamentals of Groups and Rings
MSc Mathematics
- ME010105Graph Theory
- ME010302Partial Differential Equations
Past Courses Taught
Newman College, Thodupuzha
MSc Mathematics
- ME010105Graph Theory
- ME010205Measure and Integration
- ME010302Partial Differential Equations
- ME800403Combinatorics
BSc Mathematics
- MM1CRT01Foundation of Mathematics
- MM2CRT02Analytic Geometry, Trigonometry and Differential Calculus
- MM3CRT03Calculus
- MM4CRT04Vector Calculus, Theory of Numbers and Laplace Transform
- MM6CRT04Abstract Algebra
- MM6CBT01Operations Research
- MM6CRT02Graph Theory and Metric Spaces
Complementary and Open Courses
- MM1CMT01Partial Differentiation, Matrices, Trigonometry and Numerical Methods
- MM1CMT02Integral Calculus and Differential Equations
- MM3CMT03Vector Calculus, Analytic Geometry and Abstract Algebra
- MM4CMT04Fourier Series, Laplace Transform and Complex Analysis
- MM5GET02Applicable Mathematics
University of Tartu
- 1.Design and Analysis of Algorithms
- 2.Introduction to Coding Theory
- 3.Theoretical Computer Science
Nanyang Technological University
- 1.Mathematics 1: Calculus for Engineering Students
- 2.Calculus 2: Advanced Calculus for Science Students
- 3.Calculus 1: MATLAB Sessions
Contact
Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics
Newman College, Thodupuzha, Idukki District
Kerala, India 685585
fr.dr.eldhokthomas@newmancollege.ac.in