Careers360 Faculty Research Awards 2026: Fifty-four researchers from public and private higher education institutions were recognised at the third edition of the Careers360 Faculty Research Awards, held earlier this month in New Delhi as part of the India Research and Impact Summit (IRIS) 2026.
How the Awardees Were Selected?
The awardees represent 27 academic disciplines. In 26 disciplines, one researcher each from a public institution and a private institution was selected, while in one discipline, both awardees came from public institutions.
Researchers were selected based on their publications, citations, and H-index, as recorded in academic research indices — a method aimed at ensuring the recognition reflects measurable research impact rather than subjective evaluation alone.
Institutions Represented
The list of awardees includes researchers from several of India’s leading institutions, such as:
- Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
- Indian Institute of Management Mumbai
- All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi
- University of Hyderabad
- Indian Council of Agricultural Research institutions
- Tata Institute of Social Sciences
- Symbiosis International
- SRM Institute of Science and Technology
- Manipal Academy of Higher Education
- Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham
Disciplines Covered
The awards span a wide range of academic fields, including agricultural and biological sciences, arts and humanities, chemistry, computer science, economics, engineering, environmental science, medicine, neuroscience, physics, psychology, social sciences, and veterinary sciences.
Careers360 Faculty Research Awards 2026: Select Winners
| Domain | Public University Awardee | Private University Awardee |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | Ravi Pandiselvam (ICAR-IARI) | Penna Suprasanna (Amity University) |
| Business, Management and Accounting | Sheshadri Chatterjee (IIT Kharagpur) | Sachin Kumar Mangla (FORE School of Management) |
| Chemistry | Debabrata Maiti (IIT Bombay) | Rangasamy Jayakumar (Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham) |
| Computer Science | Ashok Kumar Das (IIIT Hyderabad) | Neeraj Kumar (Thapar Institute) |
| Engineering | Bijaya Ketan Panigrahi (IIT Delhi) | T. Sathish (Saveetha School of Engineering) |
| Medicine | Nikhil Tandon (AIIMS New Delhi) | Mahesh Padkuduru A (JSS Academy) |
| Neuroscience | Manjari Tripathi (AIIMS New Delhi) | Atul H. Goel (KJ Somaiya Medical College) |
| Physics and Astronomy | Sanjay Kumar Swain (NISER) | Bibhuti Parida (Amity University, Noida) |
| Psychology | Sujita Kumar Kar (KGMU, Lucknow) | T. S. Sathyanarayana Rao (JSS Medical College) |
| Social Sciences | Sanjay Kumar Mohanty (IIPS, Mumbai) | Prema P. Nedungadi (Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham) |
(Full list of 27 disciplines and winners available via Careers360’s official announcement.)
Panel Discussions on Research Funding and Industry Links
Beyond the awards, the summit featured panel discussions addressing key issues affecting research and its impact in India. Discussions examined whether funding, faculty, institutional structures, or incentives are holding back Indian research, along with the challenges in building partnerships between industry and academia.
Other sessions focused on:
- How India should measure the impact of research on policy, business, and society
- Whether universities reward research impact or research output
- How fair research parameters are within university ranking and listing frameworks
Keynote Speakers at IRIS 2026
The summit featured a keynote address by Prof Abhay Karandikar, member of NITI Aayog and former secretary of the Department of Science and Technology. An impact keynote was also delivered by Sribharat Mathukumilli, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) and President of GITAM Deemed-to-be University.
Key Highlights
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | Careers360 Faculty Research Awards (3rd edition) |
| Summit | India Research and Impact Summit (IRIS) 2026 |
| Location | New Delhi |
| Total awardees | 54 |
| Disciplines covered | 27 |
| Selection basis | Publications, citations, H-index |
| Keynote speaker | Prof Abhay Karandikar (NITI Aayog) |
| Impact keynote | Sribharat Mathukumilli, MP, GITAM President |
Why This Matters?
The Careers360 Faculty Research Awards offer a structured, metrics-based recognition of high-impact Indian researchers, spanning both public and private institutions across a broad spectrum of disciplines. Beyond individual recognition, the accompanying panel discussions at IRIS 2026 highlight ongoing structural questions facing Indian academia — particularly around research funding, industry collaboration, and how research impact is measured and rewarded — conversations that remain central to strengthening India’s overall research ecosystem and its global competitiveness.
