Author: Science India Bureau
Image Courtesy: PIB YOUNG SCIENTIST / PROF MOHANASANKAR SIVAPRAKASAM In 2025, Prof Mohanasankar Sivaprakasam was awarded the Vigyan Yuva Award under the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar, recognising a body of work that goes far beyond academic research. His journey represents a powerful shift in Indian science, where innovation is no longer confined to laboratories, but is designed to solve real-world problems at scale. At a time when access to quality healthcare remains uneven, Prof Sivaprakasam’s work stands out for its ability to bridge technology and affordability. Currently a professor at IIT Madras, Prof Sivaprakasam has built his career at the intersection…
Image Courtesy: PIB PADMA AWARDS 2026 The Padma Awards 2026 have brought national recognition to a remarkable group of scientists, doctors, agricultural experts and archaeologists whose work has quietly transformed India over decades. While public attention often focuses on celebrities and political figures, this year’s Padma honours underline the role played by researchers, medical professionals, engineers and heritage scholars in shaping the nation’s future. From pioneering India’s rocket propulsion programme and decoding the genetic history of Indians to advancing cancer treatment, improving rural healthcare, strengthening agriculture and preserving civilisational heritage, these awardees represent the intellectual strength of India. SCIENTISTS WHO…
Image Courtesy: NIE/NTU Scientists from the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University (NIE NTU, Singapore) and the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) , in collaboration with clinicians from the National University Hospital and the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, have developed a novel fluorescent nanosensor capable of rapidly detecting indole-3-propionic acid (IPA), an emerging biomarker associated with gut health and several chronic diseases. The sensor detects indole-3-propionic acid, known as IPA, a molecule produced by gut bacteria when they break down tryptophan, an amino acid found in food. IPA has been linked to gut health and…
Image Courtesy: NASA In a bold reimagining of humanity’s future beyond Earth, NASA has unveiled an ambitious roadmap that goes far beyond symbolic space missions. With plans to build a $20 billion lunar base and develop the first nuclear-powered interplanetary spacecraft, the agency is pushing the boundaries of what was once considered impossible. NASA’s latest roadmap for space exploration marks a dramatic shift from symbolic missions to long-term human presence beyond Earth. With plans that include a $20 billion lunar base and the world’s first nuclear-powered interplanetary spacecraft, the United States space agency is attempting what many experts describe as…
Image Courtesy: IGCAR Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have developed a new approach that could dramatically reduce power leakage in next-generation electronic devices. The breakthrough may accelerate the adoption of gallium nitride (GaN) power transistors, which are widely viewed as a key technology for electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, and high-performance computing infrastructure. This PFBR is a 500 MWe (MegaWatt electrical) reactor built by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI) at the Kalpakkam Nuclear Complex. Designed by the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) under the guidance of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), this 500 MWe…
Image Courtesy: Wikipedia/ NASA In a remark that has reignited a long-simmering debate in the scientific community, Jared Isaacman, the Administrator of NASA, has voiced support for restoring Pluto’s status as a full-fledged planet, saying it is “time to reconsider” the controversial 2006 decision that demoted it to a dwarf planet. The statement has triggered fresh discussions among astronomers, educators, and space enthusiasts worldwide, reopening a question many thought had been settled nearly two decades ago. Pluto, once celebrated as the ninth planet of our solar system, was reclassified in 2006 by the International Astronomical Union. The IAU introduced a…
Image Courtesy: PIB Indigenously manufactured and developed robots emerged as a major attraction at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi in February. Science India takes a look at some of the show stealers. Sarvam AI launches two LLMs Homegrown startup Sarvam AI introduced two indigenous large language models (LLMs) trained specifically for Indian languages—a 30-billion-parameter model and a larger 105-billion-parameter model. Gnani.ai unveils voice cloning AI system Bengaluru-based startup Gnani.ai launched Vachana TTS, a text-to-speech system capable of cloning voices and generating speech in 12 Indian languages. The system can recreate a person’s voice using less than 10 seconds…
TECH TALK / PHOTO-CAPACITOR In a significant scientific development, researchers from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS) in Bengaluru, operating under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, have engineered a photo-rechargeable energy storage device that eliminates the need for separate solar panels and batteries. This integrated system simultaneously captures sunlight and stores electrical energy, marking a leap forward in self-sustaining energy technology. Traditional solar power configurations require multiple components: photovoltaic panels to harness sunlight, storage units such as batteries or supercapacitors to retain energy, and power management electronics to balance the system. These…
International News A newly discovered comet is moving toward the Sun for a super close encounter. Designated C/2026 A1, this comet was found on 13 January and it will make its closest approach to the Sun (perihelion) on 4 April. Astronomers estimate that it will get within 8 lakh kilometres of the Sun on a ‘hairpin’ trajectory and may disintegrate due to the immense heat and tidal forces. MAPS According to the published news reports, the comet was first spotted by amateur astronomers Alain Maury, Georges Attard, Daniel Parrott and Florian Signoret at the AMACS1 observatory in San Pedro de…
Image Courtesy: PIB YOUNG SCIENTIST / PROF MOHANASANKAR SIVAPRAKASAM Professor Mohanasankar Sivaprakasam, a leading Indian engineer and innovator, has recently been honoured with the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2025 in the Vigyan Yuva-Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar category for Technology & Innovation, one of the nation’s most prestigious recognitions for scientific excellence. Prof Sivaprakasam is a distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), where he leads extensive research and development at the intersection of engineering, medicine, and healthcare. At IIT Madras, he also heads the Healthcare Technology Innovation Centre (HTIC), a joint initiative with the Department…