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Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2025: Three professors from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) have been selected for the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2025, India’s highest national award for exceptional contributions in science, technology, and innovation. The recipients from IIT Madras are Prof. Thalappil Pradeep, Prof. Mohanasankar Sivaprakasam, and Prof. Shweta Prem Agrawal. The award highlights IIT Madras’s growing reputation as one of India’s top research and innovation institutions. The Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar, instituted by the Government of India, recognises outstanding scientific achievements under four categories – Vigyan Ratna, Vigyan Shri, Vigyan Yuva (Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar), and Vigyan Team. The Awardees Vigyan Shri: Prof. Thalappil Pradeep, Department of Chemistry Vigyan Yuva – Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar: Prof. Mohanasankar Sivaprakasam, Department of Electrical Engineering, and Prof. Shweta Prem Agrawal, Department of Computer Science and Engineering Congratulating the awardees, IIT Madras Director Prof. V. Kamakoti said the recognition reflected the institution’s dedication to advancing science and technology for the nation’s growth. “Their achievements reaffirm IIT Madras’s commitment to innovation and inspire our entire academic community,” he said. Prof. Thalappil Pradeep, known globally for his work in clean water technologies, advanced materials, and molecular clusters, said science has become his “blood and breath”. He thanked his teachers, students, collaborators, and family for their support. His research has led to affordable water purification systems that have benefited millions of people across India. Prof. Mohanasankar Sivaprakasam, who leads IIT Madras’s Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre and the Healthcare Technology Innovation Centre, has been recognised for developing affordable medical technologies and large-scale brain imaging systems. His team’s work has impacted over 15 million patients in India and abroad. “This award recognises our belief that world-class R&D can be achieved in India through collaboration between academia, government and industry,” he said. Prof. Shweta Prem Agrawal, Venky Harinarayan and Anand Rajaraman Chair Professor in Computer Science, has been honoured for her pioneering work in cryptography. Her research focuses on building secure systems that can protect sensitive data, even from quantum computers. “I hope this award inspires more students to explore foundational fields like cryptography and pursue research careers in India,” she said. Prof. Agrawal also stressed the importance of continued support for fundamental research in mathematics and computer science so that India can retain and nurture its scientific talent.
