The Infosys Science Foundation (ISF) at a virtual ceremony awarded the winners of the Infosys Prize 2021 on Thursday, December 2 for their outstanding contributions to science and research in six fields. The work of the laureates this year addresses some of the greatest challenges of our time, studying the effects of climate change on fragile ecosystems and contributing to more effective conservation strategies, designing a robust indigenous platform for rapid testing of deadly diseases like COVID-19 and TB, understanding the nuclear force to better harness nuclear energy for the benefit of humankind, and addressing issues such as sexual violence and jurisprudence in society, a foundation statement said.
The winners are: Dr. Chandrasekhar Nair (Engineering and Computer Science), Dr. Angela Barreto Xavier (Humanities), Prof. Mahesh Sankaran (Life Sciences), Dr. Neeraj Kayal (Mathematical Sciences), Prof. Bedangadas Mohanty (Physical Sciences) and Dr. Pratiksha Baxi (Social Sciences).
The winners were felicitated by Prof. Gagandeep Kang, Professor at CMC Vellore, Infosys Prize laureate 2016, and one of India's leading virologists. The award comprises a pure gold medal, a citation and a prize-purse of USD 100,000, tax free in India, the statement said.
The laureates were chosen from a competitive pool of 201 nominations received this year. The winners of the Infosys Prize 2021 were identified by an accomplished jury of scholars and professors from some of the most prestigious universities across the world.
“The Infosys Prize, the highest prize for science and research in India, has a history of recognising and felicitating exceptional talent for contributions in science, research, and technology. Several laureates of the Infosys Prize – past and present - have gone on to occupy positions of influence in academia and the top echelons of government, and win prestigious international honours like the Nobel Prize in Economics, the Fields Medal, and the Macarthur ‘Genius’ Grant,” the statement added.
Kris Gopalakrishnan, President – Infosys Science Foundation, said, “By recognizing and celebrating the creativity and innovation of these remarkable individuals, we hope to inspire and encourage others and society at large. While results may not always be immediately apparent, we must remember that the long arc of knowledge, discovery, and invention will benefit mankind in unexpected ways as we have seen with mRNA vaccines during this COVID crisis. With the Infosys Prize, we not only reward apparent breakthroughs but also the far-reaching potential of the work of these stellar researchers and scholars.”
With PTI inputs
