Large Hadron Collider breakthroughs: ‘Oscar of Science’ for IIT-Mandi scientists
Dr Prabhakar Palni and Dr Amal Sarkar from the School of Physical Sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi have been named laureates of the prestigious Fundamental Physics Breakthrough Prize 2025. They are being honoured, along with their international collaborators, for their significant contributions to the ATLAS, ALICE and CMS experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN.
Their work during the LHC’s second operational run (2015-2024) played a crucial role in enhancing the scientific community’s understanding of fundamental particle physics. The Breakthrough Prize, often referred to as the “Oscars of Science,” recognises pioneering scientific achievements and comes with a total award of $3 million. This year’s prize money has been donated to the CERN & Society Foundation and will be used to support grants for doctoral and summer students at CERN, providing them with hands-on experience at the world’s leading particle physics laboratory.
A spokesperson from IIT-Mandi remarked, “The Breakthrough Prize celebrates groundbreaking scientific progress that pushes the boundaries of our understanding of the universe. Dr Palni and Dr Sarkar’s recognition puts IIT-Mandi and India on the global map of high-energy physics research.”
The Large Hadron Collider, located at CERN on the Franco-Swiss border, is the world’s largest and most powerful particle accelerator. It accelerates protons and ions to near-light speeds and collides them to recreate conditions moments after the Big Bang, allowing physicists to probe the fundamental structure of matter. It has led to historic discoveries, including the Higgs boson in 2012 and continues to explore unanswered questions such as the nature of dark matter and how particles acquire mass.
“These experiments not only drive physics but also push advancements in technologies such as superconducting magnets and high-performance computing. The LHC fosters global scientific collaboration, bringing together thousands of scientists from institutions worldwide,” the spokesperson added.
The “Experimental Particle Physics Group” at IIT-Mandi’s School of Physical Sciences, established by Dr Sarkar and Dr Palni, formally joined the CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid) collaboration in 2024 — one of the major experiments at the LHC. Their inclusion marks a significant milestone for Indian academia, reflecting the country’s deepening involvement in cutting-edge global physics research.
“Their participation in CERN’s large-scale experiments underscores IIT Mandi’s growing presence in international scientific collaborations,” the spokesperson concluded. “This honour not only highlights the institute’s expanding research capabilities but also affirms India’s meaningful contributions to the world of high-energy physics.”
Himachal Tribune