Nobel laureates, scientists and students converge at IISc

Bengaluru: The Nobel Prize Dialogue India 2025, held at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, brought together Nobel Laureates, leading scientists, thinkers, and students to explore the theme “The Future We Want.” The event was organised in exclusive partnership with the Tata Trusts, focusing on the intersections of science, society, and youth.

Opening the dialogue, Siddharth Sharma, CEO of Tata Trusts, underlined the importance of empowering India’s youth and nurturing innovation. “Our collaboration with Nobel Prize Outreach was forged through a shared belief – that knowledge must be harnessed to serve humanity,” he said.

Nobel Laureate David Macmillan (Chemistry 2021) inspired the audience with his talk on organocatalysis and its potential to tackle climate change. “We’re one catalytic reaction away from solving it,” he remarked, praising India’s “bubbling confidence” and calling this “India’s moment.”

James Robinson, Laureate in Economic Sciences (2024), stressed the importance of cross-cultural exchange, saying societies progress by “borrowing and learning from each other.”

Urban epidemiologist Tolullah Oni urged greater inclusion of youth voices in reimagining the future, while Montek Singh Ahluwalia, former

Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, highlighted the complexities of global development challenges.

Microbiologist Gagandeep Kang spoke on health innovations and vaccine breakthroughs, while the closing panel — featuring Macmillan, Kang, and biotech entrepreneur Kush Parmar — explored how science and technology can promote both planetary and human well-being.

The sessions were moderated by Owen Gaffney of Nobel Prize Outreach and Jayaram Chengalur of TIFR.

Hanna Stjärne, Executive Director of the Nobel Foundation, lauded the day’s exchanges, saying, “By reflecting on shared challenges and learning from one another, we create a dialogue that makes a difference.”

Complementing the discussions was the ‘Parag Art Wall’, a collaborative artwork by 200 children from Bengaluru, Koppal, and Mumbai, depicting their visions of the future. The day concluded with performances by violinist Dr. L. Subramaniam and vocalist Kavita Krishnamurti, celebrating India’s fusion of art and science.