New Delhi: Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to the central government Prof Ajay K Sood has been elected as a member of the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS), said the Office of Principal Scientific Adviser on Wednesday. 

“Prof Ajay Sood, PSA to the Government of India has been elected as an International Honorary Member (IHM) of the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences for his exceptional contributions to Public Affairs and Public Policy,” said the Office in a statement issued on social media platform X.

Calling it a “proud” moment, Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Ind. Charge) Science and Technology, said it is “a rare distinction not only for him but for India as well”.

Sood, elected as PSA in April 2022, is also the Chairperson of the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology & Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC).

The noted physicist is also a National Science Chair Professor at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore. He has a Doctorate in Physics and his research interests include the Physics of Quantum materials, soft and active matter. He has published more than 450 papers in peer-reviewed journals and holds several patents.

Sood is among 10 individuals of Indian origin elected to the AAAS as part of its 2025 cohort. The members were recognised for their exceptional contributions to academia, science, public health, technology, and the arts.

The names include Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO of Microsoft Corporation; Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health; Anurag Agrawal, an ecologist at Cornell University; Kavita Bala, provost of Cornell University; Usha Goswami, director of the Centre for Neuroscience in Education at the University of Cambridge; Chennupati Jagadish, distinguished professor at the Australian National University; Suresh Subramani, an Indian American molecular biologist, and Professor Emeritus at the University of California, San Diego; Samir Mitragotri, a professor at Harvard University and a leading figure in bioengineering and drug delivery; and Salil Vadhan, a computer scientist at Harvard University.

Founded in 1780, the Academy honours excellence and fosters meaningful dialogue on pressing global challenges.

“The Academy honours excellence across a wide range of disciplines and professions, and our newly elected members have demonstrated expertise and leadership of astonishing breadth and impact,” said Chair of the Board Goodwin Liu, Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court, in a statement.

Induction ceremonies for new members will take place in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in October 2025. (IANS)