Neelesh Mehta wins GD Birla Award for Scientific Research

Instituted in 1991, the award recognises eminent Indian scientists below the age of 50 for their original and outstanding contributions to any branch of science.

New Delhi Professor Neelesh B Mehta has been selected for the 32nd GD Birla Award for Scientific Research in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the field of wireless communications, the KK Birla Foundation said in an official statement on Wednesday.

Professor Neelesh B Mehta (HT)

Instituted in 1991, the award recognises eminent Indian scientists below the age of 50 for their original and outstanding contributions to any branch of science. It carries a cash prize of ₹5 lakh. The recipient is chosen by a selection board consisting of top scientists from different centres.

Mehta, a member of the faculty at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, with a degree in electronics and communications engineering in 1996. He went on to get a Master’s and PhD from the California Institute of Technology. Through his research, Mehta has made significant contributions to the design, modelling, analysis, and optimisation of current and next-generation wireless communication systems, with a focus on green energy harvesting wireless networks, opportunistic selection, spectrum sharing, and new analytical tools for characterising the performance of 4G and 5G systems.

A fellow at the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE), National Academy of Sciences India (NASI), and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Mehta has also been a recipient of IIT-Roorkee’s Khosla National Award in Engineering and the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award, among others.