Eight Scientists from Odisha Receive Breakthrough Prize 2025

Eight scientists from Odisha have been awarded the prestigious Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics 2025 by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). Valued at $3 million, this accolade, often dubbed the “Oscars of Science,” surpasses the Nobel Prize in monetary value and celebrates groundbreaking contributions to understanding the universe’s fundamental particles and forces. The award recognizes the work of 13,508 global researchers, including Odisha’s scientists, for their pivotal roles in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) Run-2 experiments, concluded by July 15, 2024.

Odisha Scientists’ Contribution to Particle Physics

The awardees hail from Odisha’s premier institutions: the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar; Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bhubaneswar; Institute of Physics, Bhubaneswar; and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Berhampur. The honored scientists are Prof. Bedangdas Mohanty, Ranbir Singh, Sanjay Swain, and Prolay Mal from NISER; Seema Bahinipati from IIT Bhubaneswar; Aruna Kumar Nayak and Pradip Kumar Sahu from the Institute of Physics; and Natasha Sharma from IISER Berhampur. Their contributions to the ALICE and CMS experiments at CERN’s LHC have advanced global knowledge in particle physics, particularly through discoveries related to the Higgs boson, new strongly interacting particles, matter-antimatter asymmetry, rare particle processes, and the universe under extreme conditions.

Scientists Driving Global Scientific Discovery

The Breakthrough Prize 2025 honours four major LHC experiments, namely ALICE, ATLAS, CMS, and LHCb, which are reshaping our understanding of the subatomic world. Institutions like NISER, IIT Bhubaneswar, Institute of Physics, and IISER Berhampur have emerged as hubs of cutting-edge research, fostering talent capable of competing on the world stage. The contributions of researchers to LHC Run-2 data analysis, which spanned several years and culminated in 2024, have advanced scientific knowledge as well as opened avenues for innovation in fields such as energy, computing, and materials science. Prof. Bedangdas Mohanty, Deputy Spokesperson for the ALICE experiment and a key figure at NISER, emphasized the award’s significance: “This prize will inspire lakhs of science students and scholars across the world.” The recognition shows Odisha’s prominence in quantum physics & the state’s role in global scientific collaboration.

$3 Million Grant to Empower the Next Generation

The $3 million prize will fund grants for doctoral students from member institutes, enabling them to conduct advanced research at CERN’s state-of-the-art facilities near Geneva. These students will gain exposure to cutting-edge scientific infrastructure and return to India with expertise to propel national research forward. “We are investing in the future of science by giving young minds access to the world’s most advanced scientific infrastructure,” Prof. Mohanty noted. The success of Odisha’s scientists is a testament to the state’s robust academic and research ecosystem. Institutions like NISER, IIT Bhubaneswar, and IISER Berhampur have fostered an environment where curiosity and rigor thrive