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Researchers in cancer nanorobots, climate-smart rice, green chemistry win top Tata prize

By A Representative 
Tata Sons and the New York Academy of Sciences have announced the three winners of the 2025 Tata Transformation Prize, recognising Indian scientists whose breakthrough work promises major advances in food security, sustainability and healthcare. The prize, established to support high-risk, high-reward research that can improve quality of life, selected its winners from 212 nominations received across 27 states. Each scientist will receive INR 2 crore to further develop and scale their innovations. The award ceremony will be held in Mumbai in December 2025.
Padubidri V. Shivaprasad of the National Centre for Biological Sciences won in the Food Security category for pioneering epigenetic engineering and small RNA–based modifications in rice. His research enhances stress tolerance and nutritional value while reducing the need for fertilizers and pesticides, offering a potential boost to productivity and resilience as India prepares to feed an estimated 1.5 billion people by 2050.
Balasubramanian Gopal of the Indian Institute of Science received the Sustainability Prize for developing a green chemistry platform that uses engineered E. coli to produce chemicals for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and agriculture. By integrating artificial intelligence to design enzymes and optimise microbial strains, his work provides a cleaner alternative to energy-intensive chemical synthesis and could significantly strengthen India’s biomanufacturing capabilities.
The Healthcare Prize went to Ambarish Ghosh, also of the Indian Institute of Science, for developing magnetic nanorobots capable of navigating the human body to deliver targeted cancer treatment. The nanorobots can distinguish tumour cells from healthy tissue and may reduce side effects associated with conventional therapies. His team is also creating real-time imaging systems to track the nanorobots, aiming to make advanced cancer care more precise, accessible and affordable.
Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran said the winners’ work represents years of dedication and has significant implications for India and the world, reaffirming the group’s belief in science and technology as drivers of human progress. Nicholas B. Dirks, President and CEO of the New York Academy of Sciences, said the prize highlights the power of Indian science to deliver solutions with global impact.
The Tata Transformation Prize was launched in 2022 to support innovations that address India’s critical challenges in food security, sustainability and healthcare. Tata Sons and the New York Academy of Sciences jointly manage the initiative, which aims to accelerate the implementation of transformative scientific research.

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