In the early foggy morning on Monday at around 6, a call from Infosys headquarters, Banglore woke Thanu Padmanabhan up. On the other end, was a team of jury members consisting of Infosys mentor Narayana Murthy, jury chairperson Dr. Shrinivas Kulkarni, and Managing Director and CEO Kris Gopalkrishanan, who told Padmanabhan that he had won the first ‘Infosys prize for Physical Science’ with a cash of Rs 50 Lakh.

I had an inkling of being nominated for the prize, but I wasn’t sure I would get it. My family was more confident

said Padmanabhan.

The man who doesnt find spare time to spend with his family due to his work schedule, isn’t yet sure that what he will do with the huge amount he has got.

We have been told that this prize has been modeled on the Nobel Prize. This will go a long way in encouraging researchers in the country

he said.

The jury who singled out Padmanbhan for the top prize included Physics Nobel Laureate (2004) Frank Wilczek.
Padmanhban took up pure sciences at Inter University Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) in 70’s, when everybody around was crazy about engineering, IIM’s and IIT’s.

My parents were very liberal. My father was a mathematician at heart — who had great talent and admiration for the subject — but had to take a government job

he said.
Padmanbhan disagrees with those who assertively say that there is no scope for theoretical research in the country. Rather, he says that there is much scope for research in the pure sciences than ever before. He also said that government in the country needs to attract the young talent towards the pure sciences by offering them some entry level fellowships as well as scholarships, Padmanabhan said.

The problem is that most parents have a fossilized memory. They simply do not have a clue on the kind of research facilities that are available to students

he said.

We also are to blame, perhaps we are not selling it well

he added.
This scientist, who is young at heart, has just finished his ninth book. Some of his books have been prescribed for the graduate-level study in the universities across the country.

He has also showed the way for young scientists who take up jobs once they finish their doctoral studies.

After their doctoral and post-doctoral studies, once they get a job, young researchers can take a year off and work on another area of research. They rarely do that now

he said.

Hamsa, a daughter of IUCAA based physicist, is a final year science student at Fergusson College and also wants to be a physicist.

Many of her friends’ parents thought we were crazy for not making her study for IIT exams

said Vasanthi, Padmanabhan’s wife, who also has a PhD in Physics from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai.
The ‘Infosys prize for physics’ will be given to Padmanbhan at the hands of Prime minister Manmohan Singh on January 4.