"Venki", as he prefers to be called, will succeed Paul Nurse, whose term ends on November 30 this year.
The Royal Society is Britain's - possibly the world's - leading science organisation, whose president is chosen by some 1,200 Fellows who send in their postal votes.
A spokesperson revealed that the Society's council, its board of trustees, "unanimously nominated Venki Ramakrishnan, who was endorsed by over 98 per cent of votes, in a turnout of close to 50 per cent".
Venki is based in Cambridge where he cycles everywhere.
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"My reaction is that I am very honoured to have been chosen," said Venki, who would much rather his appointment was seen as recognition by his peers for a fellow scientist rather than a cause for Indian triumphalism.
His view is that science belongs to everyone and that knowledge should be shared without any barriers. Still, he knows Indians are Indians and Mother India will claim him today as her own - though most of his work was done in America and in recent years in Cambridge.
"Considering I'm an immigrant who came here relatively late in life only 16 years ago, it is a reflection of the wonderful openness that the Royal Society has shown ever since its inception," he added.
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