UNESCO Awards IIT Kharagpur Professor for Low-cost Medical Diagnostic Solutions

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) honored Suman Chakraborty with the 2026 TWAS Award in Engineering and Computer Sciences. Professor Suman Chakraborty, the institute chair professor in the Mechanical Engineering department of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur is renowned for his love towards science and technology.

Professor Suman Chakraborty is a passionate engineer who has dedicated his whole life to develop healthcare devices affordable for use in remote, resource constrained rural areas. The professor, through his knowledge and expertise as a mechanical engineer, utilized fluid mechanics to develop low-cost diagnostic solutions that allow for easier detection of diseases, similar to diagnostic tools that would be available in large research centres. He is much respected for his contribution in developing diagnostic tools for Covid-19 and oral cancer.

As per the TWAS website, TWAS Awards (previously called 'TWAS Prizes') are awarded to individual scientists from developing countries in recognition of an outstanding contribution to scientific knowledge in nine fields of sciences and/or to the application of science and technology to sustainable development.^[1] The biennial award is presented to an individual based on scientific merit and on the recommendations of the selection committees composed of TWAS members.

Professor Suman Chakraborty, a current J.C. Bose National Fellow, has previously received several recognitions from the scientific world for his notable achievements in the field of technology. His body of work includes a plethora of affordable, simple-to-execute, and innovative diagnostic solutions covering various medical challenges, such as anaemia, cancer, COVID-19, and tuberculosis.

His valuable contribution involved development of a Nucleic-Acid Based Rapid Diagnostic Test for infectious disease detection called COVIRAP as a substitute for the resource-intensive RT-PCR testing of infectious diseases. The entire sample-to-result COVIRAP procedure may be conducted in the portable device, without any training, making the technology effective for quick screening and detection.

A low-cost portable hand-held imaging device that can be used for early risk assessment and categorization of the stages of oral cancer has also been a significant contribution of professor Suman Chakraborty. His new medical diagnostic technologies aim at improving health and well-being for disadvantaged populations, thereby, enhancing the quality of life on global scale.

References

1. “TWAS Awards.” TWAS. Accessed on March 11, 2025. https://twas.org/opportunity/twas-awards.

‌‌(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Jithin Paul/MSM)