YOUNG SCIENTIST: PROF RADHAKRISHNA GANTI
Prof Radhakrishna Ganti of IIT Madras has been honoured with the prestigious Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar: Vigyan Yuva Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in Engineering Sciences for his significant contributions to wireless communication systems, particularly in the field of 5G technology. He was conferred the award in August this year. His work has not only put India on the global 5G map but also laid the foundation for indigenous technological development in wireless systems.
5G FOR RURAL CONNECTIVITY
In the early stages of 5G development, rural broadband was not a priority on the global agenda. Prof Ganti, along with his team, saw this gap and decided to make a change. “When the 5G requirements were being decided globally around 2011, rural broadband coverage was not considered,” Ganti explained. Through his efforts in collaboration with the Telecommunications Standards Development Society, India (TSDSI), the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), and the Ministry of IT, rural coverage was included as a key performance indicator for 5G standards. This initiative led to the development of the Large-cell-Low-Mobility (LMLC) test environment, focusing on improving broadband access in remote areas using the BharathNet network. The LMLC proposal was eventually accepted as a mandatory feature in IMT 2020, marking a significant achievement for India in the global telecom space.
INDIGENOUS 5G BASE STATIONS
Prof Ganti’s research extended to the development of indigenous 5G base stations at IIT Madras. His work includes Multi-input Multi-output (MIMO) 5G base stations with varying antenna configurations like 64/32/16 antenna MIMO RRH, making strides toward self-reliance in the telecommunications sector. The base stations developed are not only used for academic purposes but have also been integrated into commercial products by Indian companies such as Tejas Networks and CDOT, showcasing a successful transfer of technology from academia to industry.
SETTING GLOBAL STANDARDS
Prof Ganti was also instrumental in developing an Indian standard for 5G, named 5Gi, which focused on enhanced coverage in rural and remote areas. The standard was ratified globally by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), and later merged into the main 5G specifications, underscoring India’s role in shaping global telecom standards. “Our goal was to create a robust framework for rural connectivity, and it is heartening to see it being adopted globally,” he shared with PIB.
BUILDING A ROBUST 5G TESTBED
One of the significant challenges in wireless research in India was the lack of a comprehensive testbed for experimentation. To bridge this gap, Prof Ganti led a consortium of eight institutions, with IIT Madras as the primary integrator, to build an end-to-end 5G testbed. Over four years, this initiative resulted in a fully functional 5G ecosystem on campus, providing a platform for startups and researchers to develop new wireless technologies.
Currently, Prof Ganti’s research group is actively working on next-generation technologies, including 6G. His team focuses on leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning to optimise wireless systems, designing innovative hardware architectures to improve radio performance and reduce costs. They are also collaborating with the armed forces to explore how 5G technologies can enhance military communication capabilities.
ACCOLADES AND RECOGNITION
In addition to the Vigyan Yuva Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award, Prof Ganti has received several prestigious accolades, including:
- Junior Level Institute Research and Development Award (IRDA) 2016-17
- Leonard G Abraham Prize Paper Award, IEEE Communications Society
- Stephen O Rice Prize Paper Award, IEEE Communications Society
Prof Ganti’s journey exemplifies the spirit of innovation and self-reliance, significantly impacting India’s telecom landscape. His work not only bridges the digital divide between urban and rural areas but also positions India as a key player in the development of global telecommunications standards. With ongoing research into 6G and beyond, Prof Ganti is poised to continue leading the charge in next-generation wireless technologies, driving India towards a connected, self-sufficient future.