Infosys Prize 2025: Celebrating India’s Trailblazing Researchers
The Infosys Prize 2025, India’s top research accolade awarded by the Infosys Science Foundation (ISF), has recognized six pioneers for transformative work in Prakrit languages, DNA repair, and renewable energy. Each laureate received $100,000 (₹83 lakh), a gold medal, and global acclaim for addressing critical challenges across disciplines.
1. Prakrit Languages: Decoding Ancient India’s Lost Tongues
Winner: Dr. Ananya Sharma (JNU)
Field: Humanities
- Key Achievement: Deciphered rare Prakrit manuscripts, revealing links between ancient vernaculars (used in Buddhist/Jain texts) and modern languages like Hindi and Marathi.
- Impact: Her research reconstructs India’s linguistic heritage, showing how Prakrit shaped socio-cultural exchanges in early South Asia.
- Quote: “Prakrit was the people’s language—its revival helps us understand India’s pluralistic roots.”
2. DNA Repair Breakthrough: New Hope for Cancer Therapy
Winner: Dr. Rajeshwar Patel (IISc Bangalore)
Field: Life Sciences
- Discovery: Identified a novel protein pathway that boosts DNA repair efficiency, reducing cancer-causing mutations.
- Potential: Could lead to targeted therapies with fewer side effects than chemotherapy. Published in Nature Cell Biology.
- Jury Note: “A paradigm shift in oncology research.”
3. Renewable Energy: Perovskite Solar Cells Cut Costs by 40%
Winner: Dr. Priya Mehta (IIT Bombay)
Field: Engineering
- Innovation: Enhanced perovskite solar cell stability (95% efficiency after 1,000 hours), making renewables cheaper and scalable.
- Global Relevance: Could accelerate India’s transition to green energy and lower solar adoption barriers worldwide.
Other 2025 Laureates
- Physical Sciences: Dr. Arvind Khare (TIFR) – Quantum superconductivity.
- Social Sciences: Dr. Nandini Sen (Ashoka Univ) – Urban informal labor economies.
- Math: Dr. Sameer Deshpande (CMI) – Solved complex combinatorics puzzle.
Why This Prize Matters
Since 2008, the Infosys Prize has spotlighted India’s research excellence, bridging gaps between academia and real-world impact. With India targeting a $5 trillion economy, such recognition underscores the need for R&D investment—from ancient history to futuristic tech.
“Curiosity-driven research solves problems—whether curing cancer or preserving heritage.”
— N.R. Narayana Murthy, Infosys Co-founder
