IIT Hyderabad Professor Kirti Chandra Sahu Wins National Teachers' Award 2026
Professor Kirti Chandra Sahu of the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad was conferred the National Teachers' Award 2026 on September 5 by the Ministry of Education, Government of India.
The national honour was presented in recognition of his contributions to teaching, curriculum development, and pioneering atmospheric research. Speaking at the ceremony, President Droupadi Murmu stated that the award-winning teachers are setting exemplary standards in teaching.
According to IIT Hyderabad, Professor Sahu is among the founding faculty members of the institute. Both the institute and the Ministry of Education highlighted his extensive work in student mentoring, academic leadership, and curriculum design, which have contributed to strengthening the institution's culture of excellence in education and research.
Professor Sahu's scientific research focuses on the shape and size distributions of raindrops at different altitudes. His findings are aimed at providing a deeper understanding of rainfall patterns and contributing to more accurate rainfall predictions.
To conduct his research, Professor Sahu developed a unique experimental facility from scratch. The facility simulates the specific atmospheric conditions that raindrops encounter as they descend from clouds to the ground, carrying potential practical applications for weather forecasting and broader climate modelling.
The Ministry of Education praised these achievements in a statement on social media platform X, highlighting his development of the experimental setup alongside his founding role and academic mentorship at IIT Hyderabad.
Professor Sahu has earned several prestigious scientific honours over his career. His recognitions include Young Scientist Awards from the Indian National Science Academy, the National Academy of Sciences, India, and the Indian Academy of Sciences, as well as the VASVIK Award.
He is also a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering, the Indian Academy of Sciences, and the Institute of Physics, UK. Additionally, he has received the J C Bose Grant, formerly known as the J C Bose National Fellowship. Following the announcement, IIT Hyderabad congratulated him on receiving the national award.
