Eight scientists from premier institutions in Odisha have joined thousands of global researchers in receiving the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics 2025. Awarded by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) near Geneva, the prize honors their contributions to understanding the universe’s most fundamental particles and forces.
A Prestigious Recognition for Pioneering Research
Valued at $3 million—surpassing even the Nobel Prize—the Breakthrough Prize recognizes groundbreaking scientific achievements. The award will fund grants for doctoral students, enabling them to conduct advanced research at CERN.
Prof. Bedangdas Mohanty is a scientist at the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar. He also serves as the Deputy Spokesperson for the ALICE experiment at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC). He emphasized the award’s motivational impact:
“This prize will inspire lakhs of science students and scholars across the world,” he said.
Recognizing Excellence Across Global Experiments
Reported by TOI, the Breakthrough Prize—often referred to as the Oscars of Science—celebrates leading scientists in fundamental physics, life sciences, and mathematics. According to Prof. Mohanty, this year’s recognition honors four major LHC experiments: ALICE, ATLAS, CMS, and LHCb.
These collaborations played a critical role in:
- Uncovering properties of the Higgs boson
- Discovering new strongly interacting particles
- Investigating matter-antimatter asymmetry
- Exploring rare particle processes
- Studying the universe in extreme conditions
Odisha’s Contributions to the Global Scientific Milestone
Among the 13,508 researchers who contributed to discoveries based on LHC Run-2 data released by July 15, 2024, eight scientists from Odisha made significant contributions—particularly to the ALICE and CMS experiments.
The award-winning researchers include:
Prof. Bedangdas Mohanty, Ranbir Singh, Sanjay Swain, and Prolay Mal – NISER, Bhubaneswar
Seema Bahinipati – IIT, Bhubaneswar
Aruna Kumar Nayak and Pradip Kumar Sahu – Institute of Physics, Bhubaneswar
Natasha Sharma – IISER, Berhampur
Empowering Future Scientists
Prof. Mohanty shared that the prize money will support doctoral students from member institutes. These grants will allow students to spend time at CERN, enriching their research experience. They will return with cutting-edge knowledge to India. “We are investing in the future of science by giving young minds exposure to the world’s most advanced scientific infrastructure,” he added.
