Tata Transformation Prize

“The Tata group has been in the forefront of creating impact in society for more than 150 years. In fact, our founder Jamsetji Tata said that the very purpose of business is the society. The Tata Transformation Prize is one small way in which we will promote science and scientists to solve India’s national problems.”

N. Chandrasekaran
Chairman
Tata Sons

“Pathbreaking research takes place in India, resulting in important advances in science around the world. This prize is focused not only on science, but on innovative discoveries that put science to work for the betterment of society.”

Nicholas B. Dirks
President & CEO
The New York Academy of Sciences

Scientific Advisory Council

The Scientific Advisory Council are ambassadors of the Tata Transformation Prize, invited by Tata Sons and The New York Academy of Sciences to reach a broad and diverse pool of applicants and advise on Prize policies.

Winners are selected by a confidential jury, independently chosen by The New York Academy of Sciences, comprising world-leading topical experts from academia, industry, government, and beyond.

M. Lakshmi Kantam, PhD
Institute of Chemical Technology

Prabhu L. Pingali, PhD
Cornell University

K. Srinath Reddy, MD, DM(Card)
Public Health Foundation of India

Karen C. Seto, PhD
Yale University

K. VijayRaghavan, PhD
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research

Meg Wirth
Maternova

Key Dates

Guidelines & Application Instructions

Program Guidelines

Eligibility

The applicant must:

Hold a doctoral degree (PhD, DPhil, MD, DDS, DVM, etc.)
At the time of application, hold a position as a Postdoctoral Researcher, Faculty, or Researcher/Scientist, with at least 50% full-time effort devoted to research, at an eligible institution within India
Be resident in India or a person of Indian origin residing in India
Receive pre-approval from their institution, in the form of an Eligibility Verification Form. See below for more details.

Applicants may only submit one application per annual Prize cycle.

Eligible Institutions

Applicants must be employed by an eligible university, institute, or other research organization in India at the time of application. Eligible institutions may be found here.

Institutions not listed may contact TataTransformation@nyas.org to request inclusion on the list of eligible institutions.

Eligible Categories

The Tata Transformation Prize recognizes scientists and engineers developing technological innovations that address three challenges of national importance to India: Food Security, Sustainability, and Healthcare.

Applicants must propose technologies that address one of the three categories with a focus on digital and technological transformation: innovations that re-imagine traditional practices and business models, transform technological paradigms, improve public trust, and enable an open and connected world.

Innovation knows no bounds. Technologies that may address these challenges include,  but are not limited to:

Food Security

Innovations that improve productivity and efficiency or reduce waste and resource-intensity, such as

Food waste management
Supply chain management
Food storage chain
Crop sensing
Genetic modification
Crop management
Climate change-resistant agriculture practices
Food distribution
Food processing

Sustainability

Innovations that enable large-scale reduction, reuse, and recycling of resources or protection of the natural environment, such as:

Clean energy technologies
Battery and energy storage technologies
Green chemistry
Sustainable materials
Circular economy technologies
Environmentally friendly infrastructure
Recycling and waste disposal technologies
Climate change modeling and prediction
Technologies to mitigate the impacts of climate change
Ecology technology & technologies for conserving biodiversity
Electric vehicles and other energy-efficient devices
Technology solutions for water management
Innovations to estimate, measure, and track emissions

Healthcare

Innovations that improve accessibility, affordability, accountability, and efficacy in healthcare, such as:

Sensing and wearable technologies
Telemedicine/telehealth
Health informatics
Electronic health records
Bioprinting
Augmented reality
Robotics
Personalized healthcare technologies
Medical training strategies
Biocomputation & bioinformatics
Public/community health infrastructure

The eligible technologies listed under each Prize category above are not meant to be exhaustive. If applicants have a question regarding whether or not a particular innovation falls into these categories, please contact the Tata Transformation Prize team at TataTransformation@nyas.org.

Evaluation Criteria

Proposed innovations will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

Quality: The extent to which the proposed innovation is coherent, credible, and supported by scientifically rigorous design and preliminary data.
Vision: The extent to which the proposed innovation will 1) challenge existing paradigms or practices and/or pursue an original approach, and 2) generate measurable, lasting, and wide-scale changes that address national needs and societal changes for underserved populations in India.
Feasibility: The extent to which the applicant 1) offers a realistic approach and implementation plan to achieve tangible, impactful results and 2) is well-positioned and capable of executing the proposed plan, and 3) the extent to which the proposed innovation is scalable in India.

Application Materials & Instructions

Application Form

Required information includes the applicant’s name, title, terminal degree, email address, phone number, and category of submission, as well as the name, title, and contact information for the institutional leadership submitting the Eligibility Verification Form.

Curriculum Vitae

Applicants are required to submit a CV that includes:

Applicant name, current institution(s), and position title.
Education and training: including undergraduate, doctoral and postdoctoral training, with names of previous research advisor(s)/mentor(s).
Employment history and dates.
Honors and awards: including granting organizations and years received.
Peer-reviewed publications from entire research career.
- Include separate sections for primary research and reviews/commentaries.
- Do not include manuscripts submitted or in preparation.
- Conference abstracts and proceedings should only be included if they are the primary way of disseminating new results in the applicant’s field, such as in computer science and mathematics.
Patents and patent applications: include patent title, 1-2 sentence synopsis and year submitted/approved
Research grants:
- List funding for ongoing and completed projects on which the applicant is named as either Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-Investigator (co-PI).
- Include name of funding mechanism, funding agency, title of grant, and 2-3 sentence summary of the aims of the grant.
- Specify whether applicant is PI or co-PI. For grants on which the applicant is a co-PI, also specify the amount awarded to applicant.
Scientific leadership [e.g., any significant roles in the greater academic community]. This includes major editorial responsibilities, service on external committees, conference organization, technology licensing (or company start-up), public outreach activities, and institutional administrative responsibilities (e.g., departmental or student committees].
Invited talks and lectures. Include year and inviting organization/institution.

Innovation Proposal

The Innovation Proposal should be accessible to another scientist working in the overarching Prize category (e.g., Sustainability). The proposal should be a maximum of five pages (11 or 12 point font and 1 inch margins). References and up to five figures with legends may be included on additional pages.

The proposal should include the following four sections. Page numbers are included as a guide, but do not need to be strictly followed. A strong application will address each component thoroughly.

Background & Significance (~0.5-0.75 page)

The applicant should describe:

The societal challenge and critical barrier to scientific progress the innovation seeks to address.
The prior research that serves as the key support for the proposed project.

Please explain any terms or information that may not be obvious to a scientist outside of the applicant’s specialty.

Proof of Concept (~0.75-1 page)

Describe the technology, discovery, or innovation and preliminary work and/or results demonstrating its rigor, credibility and potential. These may constitute a prototype that has undergone testing or a small-scale proof of concept experiment. Clarify if these are published or unpublished findings. Additionally, clarify the roles of other researchers/research groups in these findings. Explain how the innovation is unique in how it addresses the corresponding societal challenge. If the innovation is a physical technology or device, include a schematic of the design and a photo of the prototype as one of the five allowed figures.

Implementation Plan (~3 pages)

Applicants must present a clearly articulated and well-reasoned plan to scale up and implement the innovation. A robust and unbiased plan should identify potential challenges, alternative strategies, clear benchmarks for success, significant goals, and a tentative timeline by which the applicant expects to meet those goals. Early-stage projects should include a strategy to establish feasibility and manage risk.

The timeline should span approximately three years of implementation, over which significant progress is expected to be made.

Provide any necessary context to understand what successful scale-up and implementation would look like.

Identify any resources, such as specialized equipment that is required for the Implementation Plan. Indicate whether the applicant has access and, if not, how and when it will be obtained. Details can be provided in optional Letters of Support (see below).

Future Directions and Impact (~0.5 page)

Describe how the applicant sees the implementation and adoption of the innovation progressing beyond the timeline proposed in the Implementation Plan. Describe the anticipated impact of the technology, discovery, or innovation outlined in your proposal on your scientific field, Indian society and beyond.

Letters of Support

Applicants may also include Letters of Support to substantiate access to key resources that are needed for the success of the proposed work. The letter should clearly state the commitment of the letter writer to give the applicant access to the reagent, sample, instrumentation, or support to establish techniques described in the proposal. Letters of Support should be on letterhead, signed, combined into a single pdf, and uploaded into the application portal.

Letters of Reference

Applicants are required to nominate two (2) individuals to submit confidential letters of reference.

Applicants will be prompted to provide the names and email addresses of two letter writers during the submission of materials. Letters of reference will be electronically requested and submitted via the web portal to ensure confidentiality.

We encourage applicants to share the Instructions for Letters of Reference with letter writers when requesting letters. Applicants may download these here.

We recommend that applicants petition letters from individuals who are recognized experts in their discipline/field and the societal challenges related to their proposed innovation. Letter writers should be intimately familiar with the applicant’s most significant research contributions and their impact on the applicant’s research field and beyond. Furthermore, we recommend that applicants share a summary of their innovation project with letter writers so that they can comment on the vision and potential of the project to generate wide-scale changes that address the needs of Indian society. They should also be able to describe how the applicant’s background and accomplishments prepare them to lead the implementation and scale-up of the project proposed.

Letter writers will also be required to answer a brief, multiple-choice questionnaire upon uploading letters of reference, to ensure both qualitative and quantitative assessment of each applicant.

Eligibility Verification Form

The applicant must receive verification of their eligibility from their institution in the form of a completed and signed Eligibility Verification Form. Completion of the form verifies that the applicant is employed by the institution in an eligible research role and has informed the institution of their intent to submit an application. The form must be signed by institutional leadership at the level of Department Head or higher. The signatory must be senior to the applicant.

Applicants and institutional leadership can download the Eligibility Verification Form here. Applicants will be asked to submit their completed, signed and stamped (with an institution stamp, if applicable) Eligibility Verification Form with the rest of their application materials in the submission portal.

Prize Details

Prize Benefits and Winner Responsibilities

Award

The Tata Transformation Prize awards one Winner in each of the three categories, with INR 2 crores (approximately US$240,000) for each Winner. Funds will be disbursed directly by Tata Sons upon the conclusion of Prize events in December 2024.

Membership to the New York Academy of Sciences

All Winners will receive a lifetime membership to the Academy. Membership provides Winners with access to our Global Member Directory, a deep archive of digital content, and access to free or significantly discounted registrations for over 100 in-person and virtual symposia, webinars and conferences annually.

Winner Responsibilities

Tata Transformation Prize Winners are expected to:

Attend the Tata Transformation Prize Ceremony on late Fall 2024.
Deliver a short presentation on their work at the annual Tata Transformation Prize Ceremony or Symposium in late Fall 2024. Further details will be provided closer to the Prize.
Participate in Tata Transformation Prize-related media activities and inquiries (e.g., video interviews, magazine profile interviews).

Reporting

Tata Transformation Prize Winners will provide reports on the progress of the innovation implementation at intervals of one and three years after receiving the Prize. Winners are expected to include in their reports:

Project Activities: Progress according to milestones set in the Implementation Plan.
Results & Impact:
- Wins: further prototypes or market-ready products developed; product testing undertaken; product effectiveness measured in pilot studies
- Failures: technical or implementation failures and lessons learned
- Challenges: barriers to implementation, scale, or user adoption
Collaborators: Key stakeholders recruited to project, their roles, and the resources or support they provide.
Funding: New investors or other funding sources. Summarize terms and valuation.
Future Plans: Steps to be taken in the next year towards implementation or continuing development, including a timeline to market or to achieve project impact

Winners are also expected to provide an updated CV, including post-Prize:

Patents
Scientific Publications
Grants or other research funding
Prizes or other awards
Conference presentations or other invited talks

Eligible Institutions

Applicants must be employed by an eligible university, institute, or other research organization in India at the time of application. Eligible institutions are listed below.

Institutions not listed here may contact TataTransformation@nyas.org to request inclusion on the list of eligible institutions.

Expand for the Full List of Eligible Institutions

A | B | C | D | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y

Academy of Maritime Education and Training
Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research
Acharya Institute of Technology
ACE Engineering College
Agartala Government Medical College
Ahmedabad Textile Industry’s Research Association (All Campuses)
Ahmedabad University
Alagappa University
Aliah University
Aligarh Muslim University
All India Institute of Hygiene & Public Health (All Campuses)
All India Institutes of Medical Sciences
Amity University
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham (Amrita University)
Andhra University
Anna University
Annamalai University
Apex Professional University
Arunachal University of Studies
Arunodaya University
Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment
Ashoka University
Asian Institute of Public Health
Assam Don Bosco University
Assam University
Azim Premji University

B.S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science and Technology
Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University
Banaras Hindu University
Banasthali University
Bangabasi Morning College
Banyan Academy of Leadership in Mental Health
Bennett University
Bharathiar University
Bharathidasan University
Bihar Engineering University
Birla Institute of Technology and Science
Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra
Birla Vishvakarma Mahavidyalaya (B.V.M) Engineering College, (affiliated with Gujarat Technological University)
BLDE University

Central Leprosy Teaching and Research Institute (All Campuses)
Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (All Campuses)
Central University of Himachal Pradesh
Central University of Jammu
Central University of Jharkhand
Central University of Karnataka
Central University of Kerala
Central University of Punjab Bathinda
Central University of Rajasthan
Central University of South Bihar
Central University of Tamil Nadu
Centre for Brain Research
Centre for Public Health Research
Centurion University of Technology and Management
Chaitanya Bharathi Institute of Technology
Chandernagore College
Chandigarh University
Charotar University of Science and Technology
Chennai Mathematical Institute
Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University
Chitkara University Punjab
Christ University
Christian Medical College and Hospital
Cluster University Srinagar
Cochin University of Science and Technology
Cooch Behar Government Engineering College
Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University
Cotton University
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (All Laboratories)

Darjeeling Government College
Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences
DAV University
Dayananda Sagar Institutions
Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University
Defence Institute of Advanced Technology
Defence Research and Development Organization (All Technical Clusters)
Delhi Technological University
Department of Agricultural Research and Education (All Affiliated Institutes)
Department of Atomic Energy (All Research Centres)
Department of Biotechnology (All Affiliated Institutes)
Devi Ahilya University
Dharmanand Uniyal Government Degree College Narendranagar
Dharmsinh Desai University, Gujarat
Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology
Doon University
Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam College
Dr. B. Lal Institute of Biotechnology
Dr. B R Ambedkar National Institute of Technology Jalandhar
Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune
Dr. Harisingh Gour University (Sagar University)
Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture

Father Muller Medical College, Mangalore
Forest Research Institute (Indian Institute of Forest Management)

G.H.G. Khalsa College
Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management
Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal
Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, Central University
Gauhati University
Gautam Buddha University
GLA University
Global Institute of Public Health
Goa University
Government College Daman
Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram
Government General Degree College, Kharagpur-II
Government General Degree College, Singur
Government Institute of Forensic Science, Nagpur
Govind Ballabh Pant Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research
Gujarat Technological University
Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University
Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Bilaspur
Guru Nanak Dev University
Guru Nanak Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology
Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidyalaya

H.N.B. Garhwal University
Haffkine Institute (All Campuses)
HCG Bengaluru
Heritage Institute of Technology
Himalayan University
Hindalco Hospital, Renukoot
Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science
Hirabai Cowasji Jehangir Medical Research Institute
Homi Bhabha National Institute

IIMT University
Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science
Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (All Affiliated Institutes)
Indian Council of Medical Research (All Institutes)
Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur
Indian Institute of Information Technology (All campuses)
Indian Institute of Management (All Campuses)
Indian Institute of Public Health, Gandhinagar
Indian Institute of Science
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (All Campuses)
Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology
Indian Institute of Sustainable Development
Indian Institute of Technology (All Campuses)
Indian Space Research Organization
Indian Statistical Institute (All Campuses)
Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital, Puducherry
Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology
Indira Gandhi National Tribal University
Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, Delhi
Indrashil University
Institut Francais de Pondichery
Institute for Social and Economic Change (All Campuses)
Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai
Institute of Economic Growth
Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences
Institute of Nano Science and Technology
Integral University
International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (All Affiliated Institutes)
International Institute for Population Sciences
International Institute of Information Technology – Bangalore
International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad
Inter-University Accelerator Centre

Jadavpur University
Jain University
Jalpaiguri Government Engineering College
Jamia Hamdard
Jamia Millia Islamia
Jawaharlal Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education and Research
Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research
Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (All Campuses)
Jawaharlal Nehru University
Jio Institute
JIS University
John Snow India Private Limited
JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research
JSS Science and Technology University
Junagadh Agricultural University

Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology
Karkinos Foundation
Karnataka Veterinary Animal and Fisheries Sciences University
Karpagam College of Engineering
Kazi Nazrul University
Kerala Agricultural University
Kharagpur College
King Institute of Preventive Medicine and Research (All Campuses)
KL Deemed to be University (KL University)
Kumaraguru Institutions (All institutions)
Kumaun University
Kumbalathu Sankupillai Memorial Devaswom Board College
Kurukshetra University

LNM Institute of Information Technology
Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College and General Hospital
Lovely Professional University
LV Prasad Eye Institute

M. S. Engineering College
Magadh University
Maharaja Agrasen University
Maharaja Ganga Singh University
Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda
Maharishi Markandeshwar University
Maharshi Dayanand University
Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith
Mahatma Gandhi University (MG University)
Mahatma Gandhi University of Medical Sciences Technology
Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University
Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur
Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies
Manipal Academy of Higher Education
Manipur University
Matrivani Institute of Experimental Research and Education
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, West Bengal
Ministry of Earth Sciences (All Institutes)
MIT Group of Institutes, Ujjain
Mizoram University

Nagaland University
NAMO Medical Education & Research Institute
Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies
National Academy of Agricultural Sciences
National Brain Research Institute (All Campuses)
National Innovation Foundation
National Institute of Advanced Studies
National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management
National Institute of Biomedical Genomics
National Institute of Food Technology
National Institute of Homeopathy (All Campuses)
National Institute of Immunology
National Institute of Medical Sciences
National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (All Campuses)
National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research
National Institute of Plant Health Management (NIPHM)
National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (All Campuses)
National Institute of Technology (All Campuses)
National Institute of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
National Institute of Urban Affairs
National Research Development Corporation (All Outreach Centres)
National Sugar Institute (All Campuses)
National Tuberculosis Institute (All Campuses)
Navrachana University
Netaji Subhas University of Technology
Nirma University
NITI Aayog
Nitte University
Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences
North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology
North-Eastern Hill University

Oriental University

Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Health Sciences, Rohtak
Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University
Panjab University
Patna University
Periyar University
Physical Research Laboratory (All Campuses)
Plaksha University
Pondicherry University (All Campuses)
Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (All Campuses)
Presidency University
PSG Institute of Technology and Applied Research (PSG iTech)
Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University
Public Health Foundation of India (All Research Centres)
Punjab Agricultural University
Punjab Technical University
Punjabi University

Rajah Serfoji Government College
Rajarshi Shahu College of Pharmacy
Rajasthan University for Health Sciences
Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology
Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology
Rajiv Gandhi University
Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences
Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya
Ramaiah Institute of Technology
Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira
Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University
Raman Research Institute (All Campuses)
Ramananda Centenary College
Ranchi University
Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University
Rani Rashmoni Green University
Regional Centre for Biotechnology
REVA University
Ruxmaniben Deepchand Gardi Medical College

Sangath
Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences
Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology
Saraswati Dental College and Hospital
Sarat Centenary College
Sardar Patel University
Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology
SASTRA University
Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology
Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences
Savitribai Phule Pune University
School of Planning and Architecture (All campuses)
School of Tropical Medicine (All Campuses)
Shanmugha Arts Science Technology & Research Academy
Shiv Nadar University
Shivaji University
Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences
Sidho Kanho Birsha University
Sikkim Alpine University
Sikkim Manipal University
Sikkim Professional University
Sikkim University
Siksha O Anusandhan University
Sir Parashurambhau College
Sister Nivedita University
SNS Institutions (All institutions)
South Asian University
SR University
Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara College of Engineering and Technology
Sri Karan Narendra Agriculture University, Jobner
Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research
Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning
Srinivas Institute of Dental Sciences
SRM Institute of Science and Technology
SRM University, Andhra Pradesh
St. Anthony’s College
St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences
St. Joseph University
St. Joseph’s College
State Forest Research Institute (All Research Centres)
State Public University Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University
Suraj Eye Institute
Sushant University
Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University
Symbiosis International University

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University
Tata Institute for Genetics and Society
Tata Institute of Fundamental Reseach
Tata Institute of Social Sciences
Tata Medical Centre, Kolkata
Tata Memorial Centre (All Research Centres)
TERI School of Advanced Studies
Tezpur University
Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology
The Energy and Resources Institute
The University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology
Thiagarajar College of Engineering

United College of Engineering and Research, Greater Noida
University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore
University of Allahabad
University of Burdwan
University of Calcutta
University of Calicut
University of Delhi
University of Gour Banga
University of Hyderabad
University of Jammu
University of Kalyani
University of Kashmir
University of Kerala
University of Ladakh
University of Lucknow
University of Madras
University of Mumbai
University of North Bengal
University of Petroleum and Energy Studies
University of Rajasthan
Uplift
Utkal University

V. V. Giri National Labour Institute (All Campuses)
Veer Kunwar Singh University
Vellore Institute of Technology
Vidyasagar University
Vignan University
Visva-Bharati University
Visvesvaraya Technological University

West Bengal State University

West Bengal University of Health Sciences

Yenepoya University

Winners

Winners by Year:
2024 | 2023

2024 Tata Transformation Prize Winners

Food Security Winner

C. Anandharamakrishnan, PhD

CSIR – National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science & Technology

With nearly 30% of the population suffering from malnutrition and 7% affected by diabetes, management of hidden hunger and ensuring public health are urgent priorities for India. Therefore, there is an urgent need for solutions that address both malnutrition and health challenges.

C. Anandharamakrishnan, PhD, is a pioneer in food engineering research and has been working towards the development of innovative solutions to meet this dual challenge. Dr. Anandharamakrishnan’s proposes to develop rice fortified with multiple essential nutrients and rice designed to have a low glycemic index (GI), which could provide a healthier diet for the diabetic population. He will utilize advanced food technologies developed in his lab, including a 3-fluid nozzle spray drying process to efficiently encapsulate and deliver these nutrients in reconstituted rice. His lab has also developed Asia’s first engineered artificial gastrointestinal system, which his team uses to analyze nutrient release during digestion, ensuring the rice is optimized for maximum nutrient absorption and improved glycemic response.

The potential impact of this work is far-reaching. If successful, this fortified rice could provide a vital nutritional boost to millions of underserved people in India, while also providing a healthier diet for the diabetic population on a large scale. By addressing two major public health concerns simultaneously, Dr. Anandharamakrishnan’s work could pave the way for significant improvements in both nutrition and health conditions, with the potential to benefit not only India but also the 2 billion people worldwide who suffer from malnutrition.

Sustainability Winner

Amartya Mukhopadhyay, DPhil

Indian Institute of Technology Bombay

With the urgent global need for sustainable energy solutions, the development of affordable, eco-friendly batteries is critical. In India, where key materials for lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, such as lithium and cobalt, are scarce, sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries offer a promising alternative.

Amartya Mukhopadhyay, DPhil, is spearheading efforts to advance Na-ion battery technology, which is approximately 20-25% cheaper than Li-ion batteries, operates in a broader temperature range, and is safer to store. Prof. Mukhopadhyay’s recent breakthroughs in materials science, particularly in creating air- and water-stable sodium-transition metal oxide cathodes and alloy-based anodes, have made Na-ion batteries more practical and sustainable for various uses. Prof. Mukhopadhyay’s approach leverages another key innovation from his lab – “aqueous processing” of battery electrodes – which replaces toxic solvents with water to reduce costs and environmental impact. The first phase of his project focuses on scaling up this water-based process and fine-tuning the batteries to ensure high capacity and long-lasting performance. The second phase will involve producing prototype cells and exploring commercialization opportunities through technology transfer or startup ventures.

This work addresses India’s need for cost-effective, safe, and sustainable energy storage solutions, particularly for renewable energy applications. If successful, Na-ion batteries could reduce India’s reliance on imported materials and provide a greener, more affordable option for the country’s growing energy demands.

Healthcare Winner

Raghavan Varadarajan, PhD

Indian Institute of Science

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) causes severe respiratory illness in over 30 million people annually, disproportionately affecting infants, young children, and the elderly. Over 120,000 deaths are attributed to RSV each year, with more than 97% occurring in developing countries, including India. Despite the availability of new RSV vaccines, their high cost makes them inaccessible to the populations most at risk.

Raghavan Varadarajan, PhD, aims to develop an RSV vaccine that addresses these challenges. Dr. Varadarajan will draw upon his lab’s extensive expertise in protein structure and vaccine design to engineer an efficacious vaccine that will provide broad and long-lasting protection against infection by this devastating virus. Furthermore, by employing cutting-edge methods in protein design and stabilization, Dr. Varadarajan’s team is optimizing the vaccine formulation and production system, to potentially reduce the cost of each dose by up to 95%, compared to recently approved RSV vaccines.

These breakthroughs could make RSV vaccination accessible to the populations that need it most, significantly reducing RSV-related illness, hospitalizations, and saving lives. Dr. Varadarajan’s research underscores India’s growing leadership in affordable healthcare innovation, addressing critical public health challenges both locally and globally.