IISER Pune Celebrates 20 Years of Scientific Excellence and Innovation
Pune, 20th April 2026: The Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune commemorated its 20th anniversary today with a press conference, highlighting two decades of significant strides in science education, advanced research, and societal outreach.
Addressing the media, IISER Pune Director Prof. Sunil Bhagwat underscored the institute’s major milestones, emphasizing the impactful research output and the contributions of its alumni across global academia and industry. Reflecting on the institute’s journey, Dr. Arvind Natu, Honorary Member of IISER Pune, spoke about its early days operating out of a transit campus. He noted that prioritizing faculty and student development early on paved the way for IISER Pune to rapidly evolve into a globally competitive institution.
Established in 2006 by the Ministry of Education and designated as an Institute of National Importance in 2012, IISER Pune has steadily expanded its academic footprint. With over 2,700 graduates to date, the institute has grown from offering its flagship 5-year BS-MS and PhD programs to introducing specialized Master of Science (MSc) degrees. In the upcoming academic year, new MSc programs will be offered in Chemistry, Mathematics & Computing, and Quantum Technology.
Adapting to the evolving educational landscape, IISER Pune established the Departments of Data Science and Science Education in 2021, and has integrated AI tools into its learning frameworks. In a landmark initiative to bridge the academia-industry gap, the institute announced that select regular courses will be opened for enrollment to working professionals starting in August 2026.
The institute’s research portfolio remains its strongest pillar. Over the past 20 years, IISER Pune researchers have published more than 6,000 peer-reviewed papers and filed over 100 patents, 52 of which have been granted and two commercialized. Notable recent breakthroughs include the in-house development of a stable 25-qubit trapped-ion quantum system, the licensing of carbon dioxide capture technology to a Canadian firm, and the successful deployment of an ion spectrometer on board ISRO’s Aditya-L1 solar mission.
The faculty’s excellence continues to garner prestigious national and international acclaim. Recent accolades include the 2025 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics (shared by Prof. Seema Sharma and Prof. Sourabh Dube as part of a global collaboration), the 2024 Infosys Prize in Biology awarded to Prof. Siddhesh Kamat, and the 2023 Padma Bhushan and Boltzmann Medal conferred upon Distinguished Emeritus Professor Deepak Dhar.
Beyond fundamental research, IISER Pune is actively expanding its corporate and societal engagement. The campus hosts two Section-8 companies—AIC-SEED and I-Hub Quantum Technology Foundation—which incubate early-stage startups. Furthermore, the newly launched Centre for Intelligent Solutions (CIS) aims to tackle industry-focused challenges in data, algorithms, and digital transformation.
On the societal front, the institute’s outreach programs, including the MS-DEED and iRISE projects, are elevating STEM education for students and teachers across multiple states. A recent collaborative venture funded by Tata Technologies, the ‘Kalpakghar’ STEM-Tinkering Centre, also continues to bring hands-on science to the public.
Currently holding the 35th rank in the research category of the 2025 NIRF India Rankings and placing 8th in India on the 2025 Nature Index, IISER Pune steps into its third decade with a reinforced commitment to inquiry-driven education and transformative scientific discovery.
