Annapurni Subramaniam Wins COSPAR Vikram Sarabhai Medal 2026

Indian astrophysicist Annapurni Subramaniam, Director of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), received the COSPAR Vikram Sarabhai Medal 2026.

Key Points

• Award presented at the 46th COSPAR Scientific Assembly.
• Venue: Florence, Italy.
• She became:
  • 4th Indian recipient
  • First Indian woman recipient
  • 3rd woman globally to receive the medal.
• Medal established in 1990.
• Named after Vikram Sarabhai, regarded as father of India's space programme.
• Awarded every two years jointly by COSPAR and ISRO.

Previous Indian Recipients

• U. R. Rao — 1996
• Gurbax Singh Lakhina — 2014
• Anil Bharadwaj — 2024
• Annapurni Subramaniam — 2026

UPSC Link

GS-III: Space science | Indian scientists | International scientific organisations