-Baishali Mukherjee

Urbashi Sinha, a physicist from West Bengal and an alumnus of Bengal’s showcase Jadavpur University, has won the Gates-Cambridge Impact Award 2025, for her significant contributions to quantum computing and technology. Sinha, a professor at the Raman Research Institute (RRI), Bangalore, founded by Nobel laureate C.V. Raman in 1948, specialized in quantum information and computing. The Gates Cambridge Scholarship, the University’s premier scholarship program for international postgraduate students, is marking its 25th anniversary this year with a special ceremony highlighting the profound impact scholars have made over the past quarter-century. Established in 2000 through a landmark donation from the Gates Foundation, the Gates Cambridge Scholarship has supported 2,156 scholars from 112 countries since its first cohort in 2001.

“Demonstrating the impact of quantum science to the world sometimes faces challenges. I am delighted that the jury has recognized the potential benefits of quantum science in driving social progress,” Sinha told the media after the announcement of the award. “Over the past 25 years, I have witnessed the evolution of this scholarship. I am thrilled to celebrate its 25th anniversary. It is an immense honor, and this award has strengthened my confidence in the impact I can make in the next 25 years,” she added.

Sinha, a Professor at RRI, also holds a Canada Excellence Research Chair at the University of Calgary, Canada. She heads the Quantum Information and Computing lab at RRI and is also an associate faculty member at the Institute for Quantum Computing, Canada. After completing her B Sc in Physics from JU, Sinha completed her PhD (2002-2006) and M.Sc. in Physics (2000-2002) at Cambridge University as a Gates Cambridge and Nehru-Chevening scholar respectively. Her research focuses on quantum information processing, secure quantum communication, and precision tests of quantum mechanics using single and entangled photons. Her recognitions include the Homi Bhabha Fellowship (2017), ICTP-ICO Gallieno Denardo Award (2018), and recognition among Asia’s Top 100 scientists (2019). She received the Simon’s Emmy Noether Fellowship at the Perimeter Institute (2020-2023) and led the winning team at the 2020 BRICS Future Skills Challenge in Quantum Technology. Recent honours include the ASSOCHAM Women in Cyber award (2021), SIES Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi National Eminence award (2023), a Distinguished International Associate award from the Royal Academy of Engineering, UK (2024), and the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar: Yuva Shanthi Swarup Bhatnagar award from the Indian government (2024).

The Impact Prize ceremony, which took place on January 10, honored eight scholars for their remarkable achievements. In addition to Sinha, Alex Vail, Alexandra Grigore, Mona Jebril, Emily Kassie, Emma Houiellebecq, Anoop Tripathi and Uchechukwu Ogechukwu, also won this year’s award. The eight Impact Prize winners will each receive £5,000 and be invited to participate in the 2025 anniversary celebrations. 

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