InfraPandit Awards 2025 Honour Breakthrough Research in Clean Energy and Urban Sanitation
Image source: ians
The inaugural InfraPandit Awards 2025 recognised two groundbreaking PhD research works addressing India’s most critical infrastructure challenges — clean energy access and urban sanitation. The event took place on November 29 at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, attended by industry leaders, researchers, and chief guest Sthaladipti Saha, Senior Vice President & Head (Buildings & Factories), L&T Construction. In his address, Saha emphasised that while infrastructure expresses national ambition, “science provides the structure behind it,” stressing that India’s progress hinges on innovation and intellect as much as physical development.
Background
Applications were received from 16 premier Indian institutions, including IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Kanpur, IISc Bengaluru, IIM Ahmedabad, SPA New Delhi, and multiple NITs. Notably, 33% of applicants were women, marking a promising rise in female representation in infrastructure-focused research.
Research submissions spanned themes such as clean energy, environmental systems, civil engineering, technology-driven governance, transportation models, and urbanisation. The awards were divided into two categories — the Uttam Award (₹5 lakh prize) and the Mahaan Award (₹3 lakh prize), honouring transformative doctoral contributions to India’s development landscape.
Industry Buzz
The Uttam Award went to Dr Shubham Jain (IIT Delhi) for his pioneering work on a cascade latent heat storage system for solar cooking. His patented solar-powered thermal battery enables indoor cooking at varying temperatures — a clean, scalable solution as India accelerates low-carbon energy adoption. A major deployment of his technology is already planned in Ladakh for heating, drying, and community cooking.
The Mahaan Award was conferred upon Dr Paresh Jawarilal Chhajed (IIT Bombay) for developing a governance and policy blueprint for Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) across small Indian cities lacking sewerage infrastructure. His research, covering over 60 cities, supports missions like Swachh Bharat and AMRUT, and has already influenced Kerala’s wastewater guidelines.
Both awardees continue to work in applied research — Dr Jain with the Ashoka Centre for a People-Centric Energy Transition, and Dr Chhajed with the Ashank Desai Centre for Policy Studies at IIT Bombay.
What’s Next
The InfraPandit Awards aim to become an annual platform recognising transformative innovation, bridging academic research and real-world implementation across India’s infrastructure sectors.
Final Thoughts from TheTrendingPeople.com
The InfraPandit Awards 2025 highlight how India’s future will be shaped not only by physical infrastructure but by the innovation powering it. The winning research works reflect a meaningful shift toward sustainable, technology-driven solutions that address real on-ground challenges — from clean cooking systems to decentralised sanitation governance. As India accelerates toward its development and climate goals, such contributions bridge the crucial gap between policy, people, and practice. Celebrating young researchers who convert ideas into actionable roadmaps is essential to building resilient and equitable cities. The success of this inaugural edition sets a strong precedent for years to come.