Breakthrough Innovators Honoured at 2025 Tata Transformation Prize Ceremony in Mumbai

VMPL
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 9: The Tata Group and The New York Academy of Sciences gathered at the historic Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai on Friday, December 5, to celebrate the 2025 Tata Transformation Prize Winners with an inspiring ceremony and dinner. Launched in 2023, the Tata Transformation Prize identifies and supports visionary scientists in India who are developing breakthrough technologies that address India's most significant societal challenges in Food Security, Sustainability, and Healthcare.
The 2025 Tata Transformation Prize Winners, selected from 212 entries from 27 Indian states by an international jury of leading experts, are:
* Food Security Winner: Padubidri V. Shivaprasad, PhD, from the National Centre for Biological Sciences, has developed rice varieties that could reduce the need for fertilizers and pesticides, cut farming costs, and offer more nutritious food for millions. By using advanced gene-regulation tools in rice, India's main agricultural staple, his innovation boosts stress tolerance and improves nutrition. By fine-tuning how certain genes are switched on or off, his method goes beyond traditional breeding, which can be slow and uncertain. His work also provides a sustainable model for strengthening staple crops worldwide due to global warming and climate change. Watch his film HERE
* Sustainability Winner: Balasubramanian Gopal, PhD, from the Indian Institute of Science has created a green chemistry platform that uses specially engineered E. coli bacteria to produce necessary chemicals for medicines, cosmetics, and agriculture. By combining AI with lab experiments, his team quickly designs better enzymes and improves bacteria to produce high yields, without antibiotics or harmful additives. This sustainable approach can replace traditional, polluting chemical processes, strengthen India's domestic production, and help position the country as a leader in environmentally friendly biomanufacturing. Watch his film HERE
* Healthcare Winner: Ambarish Ghosh, PhD, from the Indian Institute of Science,
is developing magnetic nanorobots--tiny, screw-shaped devices that can be safely guided through the body to target cancer. These nanorobots can navigate complex tissues, deliver drugs directly to tumors, and distinguish cancer cells from healthy ones. His team is also building imaging tools to track and control them in real time. This approach could offer more precise, less invasive cancer treatments with fewer side effects, and make advanced therapies more accessible and affordable in India and other low- and middle-income countries. Watch his film HERE

Harish Bhatt, former brand custodian for Tata Sons, served as the ceremony presenter. The evening's Guest of Honour, Prof. S. Bruce Dowton, Vice-Chancellor of Macquarie University (Australia), gave the keynote address. Other distinguished guests attending the ceremony include Krishnaswamy Vijayraghavan, Emeritus Professor and Former Director, National Centre for Biological Sciences; M. Lakshmi Kantam, Dr. B.P. Godrej Distinguished Professor of Green Chemistry and Sustainability Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai; and Chandrika Tandon, Indian-American businesswoman, philanthropist, and Grammy-winning musical artist.
In his opening remarks, N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman of the Board of Tata Sons, said, "The prize is part of the Tata Group's commitment to invest in India's next generation of scientific leaders and to champion vital research at every stage of its evolution. To our Winners, we celebrate your discoveries, your ambitions, and above all, your determination to make life better for millions of people."
Prof. Nicholas B. Dirks, President and CEO of The New York Academy of Sciences, followed the Chairman's remarks commenting on the growth of the program: "Since its founding just three years ago, the Tata Transformation Prize has grown remarkably in both scope and impact, gaining nationwide visibility and elevating the work of its recipients. This heightened recognition has helped propel past Winners onto the international stage, opening doors to future honours and new opportunities to translate their innovations into real societal benefit." Prof. Dirks highlighted achievements by Tata Transformation Prize Winners from 2023 and 2024. He also recognized this year's jury, which included eminent scientists, clinicians, technologists, and engineers from world-renowned organizations and academic institutions across five continents, and the role of the Prize's Scientific Advisory Council, who serve as ambassadors for the program.
To drive transformative innovation and scale up the implementation of high-reward research, each Winner received INR 2 crores (approximately US$228,000) in prize money and was honoured with a Tata Transformation Prize medal at the ceremony.
Harish Bhat, former Brand Custodian for Tata Sons, closed the ceremony with final remarks.
A day earlier, the Tata Group welcomed the 2024 Winners to a symposium at Bombay House, where they highlighted the scientific advances and partnerships they have developed over the past year.
About the Tata Transformation Prize
The Tata Transformation Prize was established in 2023 by Tata Sons, powered by The New York Academy of Sciences, to support breakthrough, innovative technologies that address India's most significant challenges. By recognizing and supporting the implementation at scale of high-risk, high-reward research, the Prize will drive impactful innovation in scientific disciplines of importance to India's societal needs and economic competitiveness. The Prize will leverage the exceptional potential of scientists in India to address critical national challenges in three categories--Food Security, Sustainability, and Healthcare--and generate improved life quality outcomes across India and beyond. The Tata Transformation Prize recognizes one Winner in each category, with INR 2 crores (approximately USD 228,000) for each Winner. Click here for more information about the Tata Transformation Prize.
About the Tata Group
Founded by Jamsetji Tata in 1868, the Tata Group is a global enterprise, headquartered in India, comprising 31 companies across multiple verticals. The group operates in more than 100 countries across six continents, with a mission 'To improve the quality of life of the communities we serve globally, through long-term stakeholder value creation based on Leadership with Trust'.
Tata Sons is the principal investment holding company and promoter of Tata companies. Sixty-six percent of the equity share capital of Tata Sons is held by philanthropic trusts, which support education, health, livelihood generation and art and culture.
In 2024-25, the aggregate revenue of Tata companies was more than $180 billion. These companies collectively employ over 1 million people.
Each Tata company or enterprise operates independently under the guidance and supervision of its own board of directors. There are 26 publicly listed Tata companies with an aggregate market capitalisation of more than $328 billion as on March 31, 2025.
About The New York Academy of Sciences
The New York Academy of Sciences is an independent, not-for-profit organization that since 1817 has been committed to advancing science for the benefit of society. With more than 16,000 members in 100 countries, the Academy advances scientific and technical knowledge, addresses global challenges with science-based solutions, and sponsors a wide variety of educational initiatives at all levels for STEM and STEM-related fields. The Academy hosts programs and publishes content in the life and physical sciences, the social sciences, nutrition, artificial intelligence, computer science, and sustainability. The Academy also provides professional and educational resources for researchers across all phases of their careers. Please visit us online at www.nyas.org.
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