Bengaluru: Infosys Science Foundation (ISF) Thursday announced the winners of Infosys Prize 2026 across six categories — economics, engineering and computer science, humanities and social sciences, life sciences, mathematical sciences, and physical sciences.
Each category carries a gold medal, a citation and a prize purse of $100,000. Instituted in 2009, Infosys Prize recognises outstanding researchers whose work advances knowledge and contributes to society. From 2024, the foundation shifted its focus to researchers below the age of 40, emphasising early recognition of scientific and scholarly talent.
“Their work demonstrates how rigorous research and the pursuit of new knowledge can deepen our understanding of the world and help address some of humanity’s most complex challenges,” said Srinath Batni, president, Board of Trustees, Infosys Science Foundation. He said early recognition would encourage researchers to pursue bold questions, challenge established thinking and make lasting contributions. The winners include researchers working on climate change and technological innovation, wireless networks, constitutional law, oxygen biology, probability theory and quantum tech. The laureates were selected by an international panel of eminent scholars and experts.
Karthik Sastry, associate professor of economics and public affairs at Princeton University, won the prize for his contributions to the study of climate change, technological innovation and business cycle fluctuations. Gautam Bhatia, adjunct professor at Jindal Global Law School and Green Fellow at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, won the prize for his contributions to legal scholarship. His research examines how societies adapt to climate change through tech innovations, offering insights with potential policy implications. His five books and academic papers explore how law can help build a fairer and more equal society. His work also draws on disciplines such as macroeconomics, sociology, political theory and moral philosophy.
