Francis Halsen's Physics Nobel Award has a India connection
Three Ph.D. scholars from Aligarh Muslim University have contributed to the research led by Nobel Prize winner Francis Halzen at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. This achievement marks a significant milestone for the university's physics program.
Why it matters
It showcases the global collaborative nature of high-level scientific research and the involvement of Indian academic institutions in major discoveries.
When the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Belgian-American physicist Francis Halsen "for decisive contributions to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the discovery of high-energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin," there was jubilation in an Indian University.
The reason being that three Ph.D. scholars of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Anuj Kumar Upadhyay, Gopal Garg, and Krishnamurthy Jayakumar, are members of the IceCube Collaboration, a laboratory in Antartica aimed at studying the elusive particles called Neutrions, conceived, founded and led by Prof. Francis Halzen.
Prof. Mohammad Sajjad Athar, Chairman, Department of Physics, and a Neutrino Physics expert, who is the guide to the three Ph.D. scholars, congratulated them. He said, "The recognition is particularly significant for AMU's neutrino physics program and highlights the university's sustained engagement with one of the most exciting frontiers of modern particle physics."
Also covering this story
4 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
2026 Nobel Prize in Physics: IceCube neutrino detector
IceCube Founder Awarded 2026 Nobel Prize In Physics
Berkeley helped make IceCube a success - and earn its leader the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics
A Yale physicist - and IceCube member - salutes this year’s Nobel Prize winner
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in