This prize, which was formerly known as the “Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar” Prize, was given to Professors Prabhu Rajagopal and Radhakrishna Ganti in honour of their exceptional contributions to science and technology.
INN/Chennai, @Infodeaofficial
The Honourable President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, presented two professors from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras with the “Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar: Vigyan Yuva Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar” August 22, 2024 in Delhi.
This award, formerly known as the “Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar” Prize, was chosen in honour of Prof. Prabhu Rajagopal of the IIT Madras Department of Mechanical Engineering and Prof. Radhakrishna Ganti of the Department of Electrical Engineering for their exceptional work in science and technology.
Using tethered and automated submersible vehicles, Prof. Prabhu Rajagopal, who is also the Advisor (Innovation and Entrepreneurship) at IIT Madras, invented automated ultrasonic inspection of marine and fluid-handling assets like pipes, terminals, and tanks. Through developments in robotics and ultrasonics, he has made fundamental contributions to the field of remote non-destructive evaluation of structures and processes. He has also led several start-ups that have brought these breakthroughs to market.
Professor Radhakrishna Ganti specialises in the creation of wireless communications stacks and hardware made in the country. Prof. Radhakrishna Ganti oversaw the development of 5G radio systems at IIT Madras, the nation’s first facility of its sort. Currently, his team is developing 6G technology. In order to bring modern telecom access and connectivity to remote and rural areas, Prof. Ganti led the creation of rural use cases at the International Telecom Union and made multiple contributions to international standards bodies. He is well known throughout the world for his work on stochastic geometry for cellular and wireless network analysis.
Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, congratulated the professors on their distinction and stated, “IIT Madras faculty have been engaged in transformational research for at least the last 20 years.” These efforts have produced goods that are extremely important to the country. The fact that two of my coworkers were given the Bhatnagar Prize this year for their outstanding contributions to their fields, which resulted in the development of technology with significant societal and national implications, fills me with tremendous pride.
Prof. Prabhu Rajagopal of the Mechanical Engineering Department at IIT Madras commented on the accolade, saying, “I am honoured and grateful to receive the nation’s highest recognition for young scientists.” I am pleased to see that this award highlights my work in technology and innovation. I am passionate about both technological translation to solve practical real-world challenges in industry and society as well as basic “blue sky” research. This award serves as a reminder to upcoming scientists and technicians in India that their efforts are valued when they tackle urgent problems like improving access to scalable technology for healthcare, sanitation, and industrial process efficiency.
Adds Prof. Prabhu Rajagopal: “I would like to use this opportunity to express my gratitude to all of the people who have supported and mentored me throughout the years—my mentors, industry partners, students, and start-up co-founders and investors. Sincere gratitude is extended to the directors, deans, and heads of department of IIT Madras, both past and present, for fostering an environment of excellence and supporting innovation and entrepreneurship, which has resulted in the development of one of India’s top ecosystems for deep-tech firms. My sincere appreciation goes out to my parents, brother (as well as his little kid, who always visits my laboratory with wide eyes), and wife, Dr. Tamaswati Ghosh, for their unwavering support and endurance during the years of what seemed like endless work hours.
IIT Madras Department of Electrical Engineering Professor Radhakrishna Ganti expressed his gratitude for receiving the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar Award for his efforts in wireless and cellular networks. I hope that other academics and researchers will be inspired to work in systems because I am appreciative of the recognition I have received for my work creating and developing wireless systems.
“I had the honour of working with excellent researchers who have helped me at various stages to significantly contribute to the vision of India-led wireless standards and lay the foundation for an indigenous wireless ecosystem in India,” Prof. Radhakrishna Ganti continued. I would like to express my gratitude to my friends, professors, mentors, and coworkers who supported and encouraged me to follow my interests. My profound thanks goes out to Professors Bhaskar Ramamuthi and V. Kamakoti, as well as the entire IITM administration, for their outstanding assistance over the years and their priceless counsel.
MeiTY and DOT have provided financial funding and unwavering support for the development of indigenous technology and standards, for which I am very grateful. I would like to express my gratitude to my in-laws for their unwavering support and to my parents for their belief in me. My sincere gratitude goes out to my spouse Sambhavi and son Eswar Prakash, who have always been there for me, encouraged me along the way, and share my enthusiasm and dream for Atmanirbhar Bharath.