Two Indian American scientists, Ashok Gadgil and Subra Suresh, were awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, which is the highest honour for technological achievement in the United States

Gadgil, who currently works as a professor at the University of California, Berkeley and a senior scientist of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, is a renowned inventor and innovator in the field of sustainable development. His work has focused on developing affordable and effective technologies to improve access to clean water, energy efficiency, and sanitation in developing countries.

Gadgil, who was born in Mumbai, graduated in Physics from the University of Mumbai and completed his postgraduate studies at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. Furthermore, he earned an MSc and PhD in physics from the University of California, Berkeley.

Subra Suresh, an Indian-born American bioengineer, materials scientist, and academic, is a Professor Emeritus and former dean of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research focusses on the intersection of engineering, physical sciences, life sciences, and medicine. He was the first Asian-born professor to lead any of the five schools at MIT.

Born in Mumbai, Suresh completed a BTech degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. Later, he received a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge.

The National Medal of Technology is bestowed on individuals deserving of special recognition for their outstanding contributions, the White House said in a statement.

“These trailblazers have harnessed the power of science and technology to tackle challenging problems and deliver innovative solutions for Americans, and for communities around the world,” the statement read.