In a boost to India’s indigenous medical landscape, Prof Mohanasankar Sivaprakasam of IIT Madras has been conferred with the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2025 in the Vigyan Yuva category. The award recognises his work in the ‘technology and innovation’ space – specifically for developing affordable healthcare technologies that have impacted over 15 million patients.
What’s this award?
Introduced in 2024, the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar is the highest civilian honour in the field of science, technology, and innovation. The aim is to bring all scientific awards under one umbrella, similar to the Padma Awards. It doesn’t include a cash component – the winners receive a certificate from the President of India and a medallion. There are four categories: Vigyan Ratna, Vigyan Shri, Vigyan Yuva Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar, and Vigyan Team.
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Why Prof Sivaprakasam?
He heads the Healthcare Technology Innovation Centre (HTIC) and the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre at IIT Madras, and returned to India from the US with a mission to reduce the country’s reliance on expensive medical imports. “My work bridges the gap between high-end engineering and rural healthcare needs,” Prof Sivaprakasam told FE.
Innovations done by his team include:
Mobile eye surgical unit: India’s first hospital on wheels for cataract surgery, which has restored vision of thousands of rural patients.
3D brain atlas: His team at the Brain Centre is creating world-first, cellular-resolution 3D maps of the human brain, a global milestone in neuroscience.
Affordable diagnostics: From Eye PAC (cost-effective ophthalmic screening) to Vitalsens clinical-grade wearables, technologies developed by his team focus on making critical care accessible to the masses.
Who can win?
This award isn’t only for academicians, but is open to scientists and technologists in government or private organisations, individual innovators working independently, and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) working abroad whose work benefits Indian society.
Impact on IIT Madras
Prof Sivaprakasam added that this award solidifies the reputation of IIT Madras as a hub for translational research – turning laboratory experiments into commercial products. Director V Kamakoti told FE that such recognition inspires the entire academic community to pursue science for the nation.
For Prof Sivaprakasam, the award acts as a catalyst. His centres have delivered projects worth hundreds of crores of rupees, with majority funding coming from private organisations and industry. “We believe that indigenous, self-sustaining research can lead to commercial success without dependence on government grants,” he said.