Infosys Science Foundation announces six winners of Infosys Prize 2026

According to a BusinessLine report, the names of the six winning researchers of the Infosys Prize 2026 have been announced by the Infosys Science Foundation (ISF). This award has been given across a total of six categories: Economics, Engineering and Computer Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, and Physical Sciences. The researchers who won this year include Kartik Sastri for Economics, Swarun Kumar for Engineering and Computer Science, Gautam Bhatia for Humanities and Social Sciences, Isha Jain for Life Sciences, Riddhipratim Basu for Mathematical Sciences and Statistical Physics, and Manoj Kumar Joshi for Physical Sciences.

The selection of all these winners was made by an international jury panel comprising renowned scholars and experts. It is noteworthy that starting from the year 2024, this award began honouring researchers under the age of 40 so that exceptional talents can be given due recognition at an early stage. Under this prize, each winning category is awarded a gold medal, a citation, and a prize purse of $100,000 or its equivalent in Indian rupees.

Kartik Sastri has been declared the winner in the Economics category for his work on climate change, technological innovation, and business cycles. Meanwhile, Swarun Kumar has received this honour in the Engineering and Computer Science category for his pioneering work in low-power wireless networks, sensing, and control. Gautam Bhatia has been declared the winner in the Humanities and Social Sciences category for his contributions as a legal scholar, and Isha Jain in the Life Sciences category for pioneering discoveries in oxygen biology and novel therapeutic strategies. Additionally, Riddhipratim Basu has been awarded in the Physical Sciences category for his contributions to probability theory and statistical physics, and Manoj Kumar Joshi for bringing experimental advancements in quantum simulation using trapped ions.

The names of these winners were announced by the trustees of the Infosys Science Foundation, which include S. Gopalakrishnan, K. Dinesh, Kris Gopalakrishnan, Dr. Pratima Murthy, and S. D. Shibulal. Furthermore, N. R. Narayana Murthy addressed the gathered audience through a recorded message. Other trustees of the foundation, Mohandas Pai, Nandan Nilekani, and Salil Parekh, also congratulated this year's winners.

Congratulating the winners, Infosys Science Foundation President S. Gopalakrishnan stated that their work demonstrates how rigorous research and the pursuit of new knowledge can deepen our understanding of our world and help solve humanity's most complex challenges. Recognising exceptional researchers early in their careers is very important because it encourages and provides them the opportunity to ask bold questions, challenge established thinking, and make lasting contributions to their fields. He further added that at the foundation, we believe that nurturing scientific talents and promoting a strong research culture is essential for advancing knowledge and shaping a better future for humanity.

According to the company, the Infosys Prize is India's largest award that recognises and celebrates excellence in the field of science and research.