IISER Kolkata’s Dibyendu Das Wins the Prestigious ‘Vigyan Yuva Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award’

Kolkata once again takes center stage in the world of scientific excellence as Dr. Dibyendu Das, Associate Professor at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Kolkata, has been selected for the ‘Vigyan Yuva Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award’ under the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (RVP) 2025.

The award, one of India’s highest recognitions in the fields of science, technology, and technology-led innovation, celebrates Dr. Das’s pioneering contributions to the emerging field of systems chemistry.

Dr. Das’s research is internationally acclaimed for exploring how life-like functions can emerge from simple chemical building blocks. His laboratory at IISER Kolkata investigates fundamental questions such as how living-matter-like materials can be artificially created, whether “Life 2.0” can be realized in the laboratory, and how chemistry can shed light on the origins of life.

Confirming the recognition, Dr. Das shared that the announcement, initially scheduled for August 22, was delayed by a few months. An IISER Kolkata official noted that the Government of India conferred the award in chemistry for 2025 in recognition of Dr. Das’s pioneering discoveries, internationally acclaimed publications, and leadership in shaping the rapidly growing discipline of systems chemistry.

This recognition adds to IISER Kolkata’s legacy of producing some of India’s finest scientific minds. Earlier, faculty members such as Soumitro Banerjee (2003, Physical Sciences), Biswarup Mukhopadhyaya (2003, Physical Sciences), Swadhin Kumar Mandal (2018, Chemical Sciences), and Rahul Banerjee (2018, Chemical Sciences) were also honoured with the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award for their innovative work.

Dr. Das’s achievement is not just a personal milestone but also a reflection of Bengal’s growing stature in the national and global scientific community. His work continues to inspire young researchers to explore the mysteries of life through the lens of chemistry.

Kolkata Calling congratulates Dr. Dibyendu Das and IISER Kolkata for this remarkable achievement — a proud moment for the City of Joy and a shining example of India’s research excellence.