Prof. Shiraz Naval Minwalla

(MSC5/PHY/95)

Prof. Shiraz Naval Minwalla is a theoretical physicist known for his pioneering work on string theory and quantum field theory. His seminal and influential contributions to theoretical physics and the discovery of new terms in the equations of charged relativistic hydrodynamics have won him several prestigious awards including the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in 2011 and Infosys Prize in Physical Sciences. Recently, he has been awarded the TWAS 2016 Prize for contributing towards the advancement of science in developing countries in the field of Physics. Currently, he is a faculty at TIFR, Mumbai.

Profile

Prof. Shiraz Minwalla received his master's in Physics from IIT Kanpur in 1995. He was awarded the President's Gold Medal for securing the highest CPI. In 2000, he obtained his Ph.D. in Physics from Princeton University. From 2000 to 2003, he served as a Junior Fellow at the Harvard Society of Fellows and worked as an Assistant Professor at the University from 2001 to 2006. From there on, he has been associated as a Professor with the Department of Theoretical Physics at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai.

Prof. Minwalla is recognised as a leader in quantum gravity research. He has done path-breaking work on string theory and uncovered an unexpected connection between the equations of fluid and superfluid dynamics and Einstein's equations of general relativity. His work revealed that in the hydrodynamic limit, the geometry of a black hole in Anti-de Sitter space is governed by the same equations as a relativistic Navier-Stokes fluid.
In future, he plans to study the various aspects of gravitational dynamics, quantum field theory dynamics and their interrelations via the AdS/CFT correspondence. He may also work on the dynamics of vector matter-Chern Simons theories and the structure of the equations of hydrodynamics as revealed by their dual gravity description.

Achievements and Honors

• TWAS Prize for Physics, 2016.
• Recipient of Distinguished Alumnus Award, 2015 by IIT Kanpur.
• New Horizons in Physics Prize by the Fundamental Physics Prize, 2014.
• Nishina Asia Award, 2013.
• Infosys Prize in Physical Sciences, 2013.
• Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in Physical Sciences, 2011.
• Fellow, Indian Academy of Sciences, 2011.
• ICTP Prize, 2010.
• Young Affiliate of TWAS, 2008.
• Swarnajayanti Fellowship, Department of Science & Technology, 2005.
• NSF USA Presidential Career Fellowship, 2003.