InfraPandit Awards 2025 Honour Breakthrough Research in Clean Energy, Urban Sanitation
On November 29, 2025, the inaugural InfraPandit Awards were held at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi, celebrating significant advancements in infrastructure research. The event recognized two outstanding PhD research works that address critical infrastructure challenges in India, specifically in the areas of clean energy access and urban sanitation.
Event Highlights
The awards ceremony was graced by the presence of chief guest Sthaladipti Saha, Senior Vice President & Head of Buildings & Factories at L&T Construction. In his address, Saha emphasized the importance of infrastructure as a reflection of a nation’s ambitions, stating, “While infrastructure expresses a nation’s ambition, science provides the structure behind it.” He further noted that India’s future relies not only on physical development but also on intellectual and innovative advancements.
Participation and Applications
The InfraPandit Awards attracted applications from 16 premier institutions across India, including:
- IIT Kanpur
- IIT Delhi
- IIT Bombay
- IISc Bengaluru
- IIM Ahmedabad
- SPA New Delhi
- BITS Pilani
- Jadavpur University
- Various NITs
Notably, 33 percent of the applicants were women, reflecting a growing participation of women in India’s infrastructure research space. The submissions covered a diverse range of themes including clean energy, environmental sustainability, transport systems, governance, urbanization, technology, and civil engineering.
Award Winners
The awards were divided into two categories: the Uttam Award and the Mahaan Award, each recognizing exceptional contributions to infrastructure research.
Uttam Award
The Uttam Award, which includes a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh, was awarded to Dr. Shubham Jain from IIT Delhi. Dr. Jain’s research focuses on a novel cascade latent heat storage system for solar cooking. His innovation features a patented solar-powered thermal battery that enables indoor cooking at multiple temperatures. This breakthrough offers a clean, affordable, and scalable solution, particularly relevant as India advances towards low-carbon technologies.
A large-scale deployment of Dr. Jain’s technology is already planned for Ladakh, where it will be utilized for solar cooking, drying, and community-level heating.
Mahaan Award
The Mahaan Award, which comes with a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh, was presented to Dr. Paresh Jawarilal Chhajed from IIT Bombay. Dr. Chhajed’s research provides a comprehensive governance and policy framework aimed at scaling Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) systems in small Indian cities where traditional sewerage systems are not feasible. His work addresses a critical gap in urban sanitation and supports national initiatives such as the Swachh Bharat Mission and AMRUT.
Dr. Chhajed’s research encompasses sanitation systems across more than 60 cities and has already influenced real-world practices, including his contributions to Kerala’s Integrated Wastewater and Septage Management Guidelines.
Continued Contributions to Research
Both awardees have continued their commitment to applied research following the completion of their PhDs earlier in 2025. Dr. Jain is currently a Research Associate at the Ashoka Centre for a People-Centric Energy Transition in New Delhi, where he focuses on clean technology and industrial decarbonisation. Meanwhile, Dr. Chhajed serves as a Project Manager at the Ashank Desai Centre for Policy Studies at IIT Bombay, where he is engaged in governance and policy design for infrastructure systems.
Conclusion
The InfraPandit Awards 2025 not only highlight the remarkable achievements of young researchers but also underscore the pressing infrastructure challenges that India faces today. The innovative solutions presented by Dr. Jain and Dr. Chhajed pave the way for sustainable development in clean energy and urban sanitation, essential for the nation’s growth and well-being.
Note: The information presented in this article is based on the InfraPandit Awards 2025 event held on November 29, 2025, and aims to provide insights into the advancements in infrastructure research in India.
