ISI's Sanghamitra Bandyopadhyay to receive Maria Petrou Prize at ICPR 2025
Synopsis
An ISI Kolkata professor who identified a genetic marker for breast cancer and linked HIV to cancer co-occurrence is set to receive the Maria Petrou Prize at a global pattern recognition conference in Lyon — adding a major international honour to a career already decorated with the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, Infosys Award, and Padma Shri.
Key Takeaways
Sanghamitra Bandyopadhyay of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) , Kolkata, will receive the Maria Petrou Prize at ICPR 2025 in Lyon, France ( 17-22 August ).
She is a Padma Shri recipient and former Director of ISI , and has served on PM-STIAC since 2018 .
Her research includes discovering a genetic marker for breast cancer , the co-occurrence of HIV and cancer , and the role of white matter in Alzheimer's disease .
She has authored more than 300 research papers and holds a patent on data retrieval and knowledge mining .
Her earlier honours include the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize (2010) , Infosys Award (2017) , and TWAS Prize in Engineering Sciences (2018) .
Sanghamitra Bandyopadhyay, Professor at the Machine Intelligence Unit of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Kolkata, is set to receive the prestigious Maria Petrou Prize later this month. The award will be conferred at the International Conference on Pattern Recognition (ICPR), scheduled to be held in Lyon, France, from 17 to 22 August, according to ISI.
About the Award and the Event
The Maria Petrou Prize is one of the most distinguished recognitions in the field of pattern recognition, honouring researchers who have made exceptional contributions to the discipline. The ICPR is a leading global forum for researchers and practitioners working in pattern recognition, computer vision, and machine learning. Bandyopadhyay's selection places her among an elite group of international scientists to have received the honour.
A Career Built on Groundbreaking Research
A Padma Shri awardee, Bandyopadhyay is widely regarded as one of India's foremost computational biologists. She has previously served as Director of ISI and has been a member of the Prime Minister's Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) since 2018.
Her research has yielded landmark findings: she is credited with identifying a genetic marker for breast cancer, establishing the simultaneous occurrence of HIV and cancer, and elucidating the role of white matter in Alzheimer's disease. Her work in algorithmic optimisation for biological data analysis has shaped the intersection of computational intelligence and life sciences.
Academic Background and Early Career
Bandyopadhyay began her academic journey with a BSc (Physics Honours) from Presidency College (now Presidency University), Kolkata. She went on to complete a BTech from the University of Calcutta, an MTech from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, and a PhD from ISI. She joined ISI, Kolkata, as a lecturer in 1999, marking the start of a career that would span continents and disciplines.
Research Output and Global Footprint
Bandyopadhyay's research spans Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Pattern Recognition, Data Mining, Computational Intelligence, and Multiobjective Optimisation. She has authored more than 300 research papers, book chapters, and conference proceedings, in addition to monographs, edited books, and co-edited conference volumes. She also holds a patent on data retrieval and knowledge mining.
She has delivered plenary, keynote, and invited lectures across the world, supervised numerous doctoral students now placed at leading academic institutions, and serves on several international committees and editorial boards. She has also held research and faculty positions at foreign academic institutes.
A Decorated Scientific Career
Bandyopadhyay's awards are a testament to the breadth and depth of her contributions. They include the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize (2010), the TWAS Prize in Engineering Sciences (2018), the Infosys Award in Engineering and Computer Science (2017), the J.C. Bose Fellowship (2017), the Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship for Experienced Researchers (2009-2010), and the Swarnajayanti Fellowship (2006-2007). The Maria Petrou Prize will add an important international dimension to an already distinguished portfolio. With this recognition, Bandyopadhyay further cements India's standing in global computational science.
Point of View
When the field was nascent domestically. Her work sits at a rare intersection: rigorous algorithmic research with direct clinical implications, from breast cancer markers to Alzheimer's pathology. Yet India's broader investment in computational life sciences remains modest relative to the talent it produces. The question her recognition raises is whether institutions like ISI will receive the sustained funding and autonomy needed to replicate this calibre of output at scale.
NationPress
4 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Maria Petrou Prize?
The Maria Petrou Prize is a prestigious international award in the field of pattern recognition, presented at the International Conference on Pattern Recognition (ICPR). It honours researchers who have made outstanding contributions to the discipline.
Who is Sanghamitra Bandyopadhyay?
Sanghamitra Bandyopadhyay is a professor at the Machine Intelligence Unit of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Kolkata, and a Padma Shri recipient. She is one of India's leading computational biologists, known for discoveries including a genetic marker for breast cancer and research on Alzheimer's disease.
Where and when will the award be presented?
The Maria Petrou Prize will be presented at the International Conference on Pattern Recognition (ICPR) in Lyon, France, between 17 and 22 August.
What are Sanghamitra Bandyopadhyay's most significant research contributions?
She is credited with identifying a genetic marker for breast cancer, establishing the simultaneous occurrence of HIV and cancer, and determining the role of white matter in Alzheimer's disease. Her work spans bioinformatics, pattern recognition, data mining, and multiobjective optimisation.
What other major awards has Bandyopadhyay received?
Her recognitions include the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize (2010), TWAS Prize in Engineering Sciences (2018), Infosys Award in Engineering and Computer Science (2017), J.C. Bose Fellowship (2017), Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship (2009-2010), and Swarnajayanti Fellowship (2006-2007), in addition to the Padma Shri.
