The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) on Wednesday, October 29, announced the names of eight scientists and engineers selected to receive the distinguished alumnus/alumna Awards and Young Alumnus/Alumna Medals for 2025. The awards recognise exceptional contributions to science, technology, society, and the Institute.
The award ceremony will be held on December 20.
Distinguished awardees
B Dattaguru: One of India’s foremost experts in structural integrity, fracture mechanics, and aircraft structures, Dattaguru’s work has enhanced the safety of missiles, satellite launch vehicles, and LCA components. He also developed key software systems for strategic organisations to aerospace programmes. He received Padma Shri in 2005.
Murthy Gudipati: A research scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Gudipati is a global authority in laboratory astrophysics. His research explores the origins of life on earth and its possible existence elsewhere. His work has advanced NASA’s planetary and astrobiology missions. He completed his PhD from the Department of organic chemistry in 1987 and served as Satish Dhawan Visiting Chair at IISc.
Sharmila Mande: Mande is among the first Indian scientists to advance microbiome research. Her team developed globally cited algorithms for analysing metagenomic data. As the head of the Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Research Group, she has led international collaborations and contributed to science policy and mentorship.
Suman Chakraborty: He has bridged fundamental fluid mechanics, computational modelling, and translational medicine, from low-cost diagnostic tools to oral cancer screening devices. He is currently the youngest Director of IIT Kharagpur.
V Muralidharan: Founder and Managing Trustee of Sevalaya Charitable Trust, Muralidharan has transformed rural lives through education, healthcare, and skill development.
Young medallists
Anjani Priyadarsini: An expert in quantum technologies and theoretical physics. A strong advocate for open science and mentorship, she completed her PhD from the Centre for High Energy Physics in 2017.
Arpita Biswas: A researcher at Rutgers University, Biswas integrates game theory and machine learning to address climate action and public health.
Pranesh Padmanabhan: An interdisciplinary researcher at the University of Queensland. His work has contributed to understanding Hepatitis C, COVID-19, and Alzheimer’s.
