IISER lauded for enhancing India’s scientific research
Defence and aerospace scientist Dr. G. Satheesh Reddy, a member of the Security Advisory Board of the Government of India, praised the role of Indian
Defence and aerospace scientist Dr. G. Satheesh Reddy, a member of the Security Advisory Board of the Government of India, praised the role of Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) in strengthening India’s scientific capabilities. Reddy’s remarks were made at the seventh convocation of IISER Tirupati, held at its Yerpedu campus on Friday (July 10, 2026), where he participated as the chief guest. Addressing the graduates, he stated that India has moved from being a nation dependent on imported technologies to one that develops and exports them over the last two decades.
Citing the ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ vision, he urged aspiring scientists to pursue careers in advanced research to tackle national and societal challenges in order to achieve this goal. “The country has made significant progress in technology development and skill enhancement. The research institutions like IISERS have an important role in strengthening India’s scientific capabilities,” he said. Reddy also called upon the graduates to focus on challenging problems in the realm of science and come up with path-breaking and innovative solutions through sustained research. IISER Tirupati Director Prof. Santanu Bhattacharya, in his annual report, mentioned that researchers from IISER had published 260 papers in reputed international and peer-reviewed journals during the academic year 2025-26.
The institute’s overall research output reached nearly 1,500 publications with 25,000 citations and a h-index of 70 by the end of 2025. “Our external research funding from agencies like the DST, DBT, ICMR and Anusandhan Research Foundation surged to ₹41 crore during the academic year,” Prof. Bhattacharya said, adding that the number of new patent applications filed touched 14. C. Sayed Sahil received the gold medal for BS-MS programme, Rayis T.R. and Siddhant Ray received the silver medals, while Nandana Manoj received the ‘Best student campus activities award’. Hari S.
Bhartia, chairperson of the Board of Governors, presided over the ceremony, while Registrar Inderpreet Singh Kohli also addressed the gathering. Meanwhile, IISER Tirupati was placed at the 20th position among academic and research institutions in India in the Nature Index 2026, a huge climb from the 33rd position in 2025. In Andhra Pradesh, the institute continues to maintain its position as a ‘top-ranked research institution’.
The BriefWire