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Three Indian-origin scholars named 2025 Hertz fellows
They will receive five years of doctoral funding—up to $250,000.
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Malvika Choudhary - Wed, 04, Jun 2025
- 14:32 EDT
- 13
Suraj Chandran, Arav Karighattam and Ananthan Sadagopan / hertzfoundation.org
Three Indian-origin scholars are among the recipients of the 2025 Hertz Foundation Fellowships, one of the most prestigious awards for doctoral students in the applied physical and biological sciences, mathematics, and engineering.
Suraj Chandran, Arav Karighattam, and Ananthan Sadagopan are among a select group of fellows who will receive five years of doctoral funding—up to $250,000—and lifelong access to a network of leading scientists and innovators.
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Suraj Chandran, currently pursuing a doctorate in chemical physics at Columbia University, focuses on developing theoretical and computational methods to explore quantum regimes of chemical dynamics and drive progress in sustainable energy conversion technologies.
A 2023 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with degrees in chemistry and mathematics, Chandran’s undergraduate research investigated spin polarization mechanisms linked to molecular vibrations and spin-orbit coupling.
He also led battery systems development for Penn Electric Racing and later worked at battery technology startup AND Battery Aero. Originally from Edison, New Jersey, he brings a multidisciplinary approach that bridges quantum theory, chemical kinetics, and engineering.
Arav Karighattam, a mathematician entering his doctoral program at MIT, specializes in algebraic number theory and arithmetic geometry. In recent work, he determined the ranks of a challenging family of elliptic curves using the theory of Heegner points.
Karighattam graduated magna cum laude in mathematics from Harvard University in 2024, receiving the Thomas T. Hoopes Prize for his senior thesis. He was the youngest speaker at MIT’s “Mordell’s Conjecture 100 Years Later” conference.
A homeschooled prodigy from Davis, California, he completed most undergraduate and graduate-level courses in math and physics at UC Davis by the age of 14. He is also an award-winning wildlife photographer and an advocate for applying mathematics to environmental issues.
Ananthan Sadagopan is pursuing a doctorate in biological and biomedical sciences at Harvard University, focusing on chemical biology and next-generation therapeutic strategies. His undergraduate research at MIT led to first-author publications in *Cell* and patents in cancer dependency prediction and TP53-targeting drugs.
A native of Westborough, Massachusetts, Sadagopan completed his bachelor’s degree in three years. In high school, he represented the U.S. at the International Chemistry Olympiad, earning a gold medal.
At MIT, he served as president of the Chemistry Undergraduate Association. His research aims to develop modular platforms for drug discovery, including epigenetic remodeling, protein degradation, and macromolecule delivery.
“These newest recipients will direct research teams, serve in leadership positions in our government, and take the helm of major corporations and startups that impact our communities and the world,” said Stephen Fantone, chair of the Hertz Foundation Board of Directors and president and CEO of Optikos Corp.
Since its inception in 1963, the Hertz Fellowship has supported over 1,300 scientists and engineers whose innovations span fields such as medicine, computing, and aerospace, including contributions to the James Webb Space Telescope.
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