7 days ago
IISER Tirupati to hold 6th convocation, 255 students to graduate
Tirupati: The Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati will celebrate its sixth convocation on Tuesday, with 255 students graduating across various academic programmes.
In the run-up to the ceremony, IISER Tirupati Director Prof Santanu Bhattacharya addressed the media on Sunday, highlighting the institute's significant achievements and rapid progress since its inception a decade ago.
Established in 2015 with a single BS-MS programme, the institute has since expanded into a broad spectrum of academic offerings. These include Integrated PhD and Post-Doctoral Research programmes.
This year, the institute is introducing a new four-year BSc in Economics and Statistical Sciences (BS-ESS) and a two-year MS (Masters by Research) programme, signalling a step further in its commitment to interdisciplinary education and research. Prof Bhattacharya noted the institute's growing academic footprint, pointing to its current H-index of 57, with over 17,000 cumulative citations of research publications. He also reported a substantial increase in extramural research funding, which doubled over the previous year to reach Rs 29.43 crore. Several faculty members have received prestigious accolades, including the RSC-ChemComm's Pioneering Investigators recognition, the DAAD Experienced Researcher Award, and the ASEAN-India R&D Project.
Among its most notable recent accomplishments, Dr Chitrasen Jena from IISER Tirupati was part of the team awarded the 2025 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, one of the most prestigious global science honours. Also, eight faculty members from the institute have been named in the top 2% of the world's most influential scientists, according to a global database compiled by Stanford University.
The director also underlined the institute's growing international profile through strategic collaborations. Partnerships have been forged with leading global institutions such as the University of Melbourne, Heidelberg University, and the University of Cologne. IISER Tirupati is also participating in the Future Research Talent (FRT) programme in collaboration with the Australian National University (ANU).
Prof Bhattacharya stated that the institute is now fully operational, with major infrastructure completed, and further expansion is on the horizon with the backing of the Ministry of Education and the Government of Andhra Pradesh.
