He attended University of Sheffield and was awarded a doctorate degree in Fuel Technology and Chemical Engineering in 1973.

Gupta is an Honorary Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)[2] and Fellow of American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA),[3] Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE),[4] American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS),[5] and Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS, UK),[6] and Member of the Combustion Institute[7] Gupta was awarded Honorary Doctorates from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee in 2014,[8] King Mungkut University of Technology, North Bangkok, Bestowed by the Queen of Thailand,[9] 2014, and Derby University,[10] UK in 2015.

He was awarded Higher Doctorates (DSc) form Southampton University, UK in 2013 and Sheffield University, UK in 1986 for his international recognition, numerous publications of original work and substantial contributions to learning in Engineering and Applied Science.

Gupta serves as co-editor of the Environmental and Energy Science series published by CRC/Taylor & Francis Press.

Gupta served as a Member of the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) in the President Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).