India Awards ASU’s Panchanathan for Pioneering Contributions to Science and Innovation
June 5, 2025: Arizona State University Professor Sethuraman Panchanathan (right), the former director of the National Science Foundation, is congratulated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Padma Shri investiture ceremony in New Delhi on May 27. Panchanathan was awarded the Padma Shri as a symbol of national gratitude for his contributions to science.
Arizona State University Professor Sethuraman Panchanathan (right), the former director of the National Science Foundation, is congratulated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Padma Shri investiture ceremony in New Delhi on May 27. Panchanathan was awarded the Padma Shri as a symbol of national gratitude for his contributions to science.
Arizona State University Professor Sethuraman Panchanathan, the former director of the National Science Foundation, has been awarded the Padma Shri, a prestigious civilian honor, in India.
India President Droupadi Murmu conferred the award at an investiture ceremony in New Delhi on May 27. The Padma Shri is symbol of national gratitude in India and is awarded for excellence in the fields of art, education, industry, science, medicine, social service and public affairs.
“I am honored and humbled to be chosen to receive this award,” Panchanathan told ASU News in a morning chat from India on Tuesday.
“This award really epitomizes the contributions of many people — from the NSF to leaders across administrations and Congress, to my colleagues and students from ASU. We have established strong relationships and strong bridges, and this award truly belongs to all of us.
“I am deeply grateful. It means a lot to me. We have been working on establishing a strong U.S.-India science and technology partnership, and over the past five years we have really strengthened that partnership.
“This is how the world’s oldest democracy and the largest democracy can work together to bring success and prosperity to both countries. The future is so very bright.”
At the investiture ceremony, Panchanathan was congratulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has highlighted the importance of leveraging science and innovation to advance the country.
As he returns from the NSF to ASU as University Professor for Technology and Innovation, Panchanathan said he looks forward to further strengthening educational partnerships between the U.S. and India, as “higher education and research partnerships are the backbone of our future success.”
“I am pleased with the work that ASU is doing in India,” he said. “Our students here and our research partnerships with industry in both nations is something that can continue to enrich students and set the stage for the future.”
With more than 6,600 students from India enrolled in fall 2024, ASU is the top university home in the U.S. for students from India. ASU’s Indian alumni network exceeds 12,600 alumni, with more than 7,000 graduating in the past decade.
Panchanathan, the Foundation Chair in Computing and Informatics in the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence at ASU, was director of the NSF until his resignation in April. He was appointed by President Donald Trump in 2019 and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2020.
Before becoming director of the NSF, Panchanathan, who was born in Chennai, India, spent more than 20 years in leadership positions at Arizona State University, including as executive vice president of ASU’s Knowledge Enterprise and chief research and technology officer.
A prolific inventor, Panchanathan has several patents and copyrights and published more than 400 papers in prestigious journals and conferences. His interest in assistive and adaptive technologies led him to create the Center for Cognitive Ubiquitous Computing at ASU, which has produced several devices that enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities.