2025 ICTP International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) Prize
Awardees (2025)
Titas Chanda
Assistant Professor, IIT Madras
Sthitadhi Roy
Assistant Professor, International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS), Bengaluru
ICTS is under Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR)
Awarding body
International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP)
Founded: 1964
Founder: Abdus Salam (Pakistani physicist, Nobel laureate)
Purpose: Support scientists from developing countries
About the ICTP Prize
Instituted: 1982
Nature: Annual award
Eligibility: Young scientists from developing countries
Components: Certificate + cash award
Why the award was given (scientific contribution)
Broad field
Quantum many-body systems
Interface of:
Condensed matter physics
Quantum information science
Contributions of Titas Chanda
Quantum correlations
Open quantum systems
Applications in:
Quantum batteries
Quantum communication protocols
Resource theories
Methodological work in:
Quantum optics
Cold atom systems
Strongly correlated systems
Contributions of Sthitadhi Roy
Non-equilibrium dynamics of quantum systems
Measurement-induced phase transitions
Many-body localisation
Hybrid quantum circuits
Measurement-driven preparation of:
Exotic topological phases
Dynamical quantum phases
Quantum many-body systems:
Systems with many interacting quantum particles (e.g. electrons in solids, ultracold atoms)Condensed matter physics:
Studies collective behaviour of matter (magnets, superconductors, phase transitions)Quantum information science:
Treats quantum states as information (entanglement, entropy, correlations)
Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP):
Basic information
Full name: Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP)
Location: Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy
Founded: 1964
Founder: Mohammad Abdus Salam (Pakistani physicist, Nobel laureate)
Administrative framework
Operates under a tripartite agreement between:
Government of Italy
UNESCO
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Trieste System
ICTP is part of the Trieste System
A network of national and international scientific institutes
Promoted by Italian physicist Paolo Budinich.
Major awards of ICTP
1. Dirac Medal
Field: Theoretical physics
Purpose: Awarded to scientists who have made significant contributions to theoretical physics
Named after: Paul Dirac (quantum mechanics)
2. ICTP Prize
Field: Physics and related areas
Eligibility: Young scientists from and working in developing countries
Focus: Original and impactful research
3. ICO/ICTP Gallieno Denardo Award
Field: Optics
Jointly awarded by:
International Commission for Optics (ICO)
ICTP
Purpose: Recognises significant contributions in optics
4. Ramanujan Prize
Field: Mathematics
Eligibility: Young mathematicians from developing countries
Named after: Srinivasa Ramanujan
Objective: Encourage excellence in mathematical sciences in the Global South
5. Walter Kohn Prize
Field:
Quantum mechanical materials
Molecular modelling
Jointly awarded by:
ICTP
Quantum ESPRESSO Foundation
Eligibility:
Young scientists
Working in developing countries
Prelims Practice MCQs
Q. The 2025 ICTP Prize was awarded to:
a) Scientists from ISRO and IISc for space-based quantum research
b) Titas Chanda and Sthitadhi Roy for work on quantum many-body systems
c) Researchers from CERN for particle physics experiments
d) Indian and Brazilian scientists for quantum cryptography
Correct answer: b)
Explanation:
The 2025 ICTP Prize went to Titas Chanda (IIT Madras) and Sthitadhi Roy (ICTS Bengaluru) for theoretical work on quantum many-body systems.
Q. Consider the following statements about the ICTP Prize:
It is awarded annually to young scientists from developing countries.
The ICTP was founded by Abdus Salam in the 1960s.
The prize is exclusively meant for experimental physics research.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct answer: a)
Explanation:
Statement 1: Correct
Statement 2: Correct (ICTP founded in 1964)
Statement 3: Incorrect (covers theoretical physics, not only experimental)
Q. Quantum many-body systems are best described as systems in which:
a) Quantum effects vanish due to large system size
b) Individual particles can be studied independently
c) Collective behaviour emerges due to strong interactions among particles
d) Classical mechanics dominates over quantum mechanics
Correct answer: c)
Explanation:
Quantum many-body systems exhibit collective behaviour dominated by interactions, making them analytically complex.