Six bag Infosys Science Awards for research

The winners were honoured by chief guest Professor Peter Sarnak, Gopal Prasad Professor of Mathematics at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton.
(From left) Arun Chandrasekhar, Mahmood Kooria, Shyam Gollakota, NR Narayana Murthy, Peter Sarnak, S Gopalakrishnan, Siddhesh S Kamat with their awards at the 16th edition of Infosys Science Awards on Saturday
(From left) Arun Chandrasekhar, Mahmood Kooria, Shyam Gollakota, NR Narayana Murthy, Peter Sarnak, S Gopalakrishnan, Siddhesh S Kamat with their awards at the 16th edition of Infosys Science Awards on Saturday Photo| Vinod kumar T
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BENGALURU: The Infosys Science Foundation (ISF) hosted the 16th edition of Infosys Science Awards during which about six researchers, including two women, were awarded for their breakthrough research across six different categories.

Now, in its 16th year, the prize has revised its eligibility criteria to honour researchers under the age of 40 (previously 50), emphasising the significance of recognising exceptional talent at an early stage.

The winners were honoured by chief guest Professor Peter Sarnak, Gopal Prasad Professor of Mathematics at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. The winners received a gold medal, a citation, and a prize purse of USD 100,000.

Kris Gopalakrishnan, president of the Infosys Science Foundation, emphasised the significance of the prize’s new direction, stating, “Recognising early-career talent is vital to foster innovation and inspire the next generation to tackle future challenges. This year’s laureates showcased remarkable dedication and creativity, offering solutions to pressing global issues.

To encourage meaningful research collaborations, we have introduced the Infosys Prize Residency programme, which will have winners from outside India spend a month at Indian institutions of their choice,” he said.

Professor Peter Sarnak congratulated the winners, highlighting how their groundbreaking research has significantly contributed to fields such as mathematics, physics, computer science, life sciences, economics, social sciences, and humanities. “Over the years, I have witnessed the extraordinary talent and influence of Indian mathematicians, physicists, and computer scientists. This year’s prize winners continue that tradition, excelling across diverse disciplines,” he noted.

Infosys Science Awardees

Economics - Arun Chandrasekhar, Professor, Department of Economics, Stanford University, was awarded for his pioneering work on social and economic networks. By leveraging innovative datasets and theoretical approaches from machine learning and computer science, he advanced development economics. Notably, his mapping of network data from multiple villages in Karnataka serves as a critical tool for addressing key questions in this field.

Engineering and Computer Science - Shyam Gollakota, Professor, School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington, received the award for his impactful research across diverse engineering domains. His contributions include smartphone-based affordable healthcare tools for low and middle income countries, innovations in battery-free computing and communication, and the use of AI to enhance human auditory sensing.

Humanities and Social Sciences - Mahmood Kooria, Lecturer, School of History, Classics and Archaeology, University of Edinburgh, was honoured for his groundbreaking studies on maritime Islam with a global perspective, particularly focusing on pre-modern and early modern Kerala. His research highlights the transformative role of Islamic law in shaping the Indian Ocean littoral.

Life Sciences - Siddhesh Kamat, Associate Professor, Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, won the prize for his discoveries related to bioactive lipids, their receptors, and the associated metabolic and signalling pathways.

Mathematical Sciences - Neena Gupta, Professor, Theoretical Statistics and Mathematics Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, was recognised for her remarkable work on the Zariski Cancellation Problem in algebraic geometry. Her proof in 2014, involving Asanuma’s 3-dimensional affine variety, provided a striking negative answer to Zariski’s original problem in positive characteristic.

Physical Sciences - Vedika Khemani, Associate Professor, Physics Department, Stanford University, was awarded for her groundbreaking contributions to non-equilibrium quantum matter. Her most notable achievement is the discovery of time-crystals, a major theoretical and experimental breakthrough.

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