Four Indian-origin science communicators, Aatish Bhatia, Harini Bhat, Anand Varma and Rupsa Chakraborty, have won the 2026 Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications in the United States. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine announced the winners on October 26, 2026, in partnership with Schmidt Sciences.

These awards honour science journalists, research scientists and science communicators who make science, engineering and medicine accessible to the public. The four winners have earned recognition for sharing science through writing, videos, photography and digital tools.

Who Are the Four Indian-Origin Winners of Schmidt Awards 2026?

The four Indian-origin winners work in different areas of science communication. Each has found a way to share scientific information with people who may not have a science background.

Their work helps people learn about scientific discoveries without having to understand difficult scientific terms.

Aatish Bhatia Wins Top Prize for Interactive Science Journalism

Aatish Bhatia received the $40,000 top prize in the Science Journalist: Early Career category for his work with The New York Times.

Bhatia uses charts, pictures and interactive graphics to explain science. He has worked in physics, education, programming and journalism. He brings these skills together to create stories that help readers understand scientific topics.

His work covers subjects such as the spread of infectious diseases, the COVID-19 pandemic and astronomy. Instead of only reading about these topics, people can use his interactive tools to explore the information themselves.

Harini Bhat Receives Top Science Communication Award

Harini Bhat won the $40,000 top prize in the Science Communicator: Organizational category for her work with Today I Learned Science (TIL Science).

She creates videos that explain health, medicine and new scientific discoveries in simple language. With a background in pharmacy, she uses her knowledge to talk about subjects that affect people’s everyday lives.

Her work includes topics such as women’s health, the first female crash test dummy and mirror bacteria. Through her videos, she helps people learn about science without making it feel too complicated.

Anand Varma Honoured for Science Communication

Anand Varma won a $20,000 award in the Science Communicator: Organizational category for his work with WonderLab. He uses photography to reveal details of the natural world that people may otherwise overlook.

His photos show small details of plants, animals and how nature works. He uses photography and visual experimentation to reveal aspects of nature that are difficult to observe. His work helps people learn about nature through pictures.

Rupsa Chakraborty Recognised for Science Journalism

Rupsa Chakraborty received a $20,000 award in the Science Journalist: Freelancer category at the 2026 Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications.

The award recognised her work as a freelance science journalist. Her reporting helps readers learn about science, research and new discoveries. Her award also highlights the important role journalists play in sharing science news with the public.

What Are the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards?

The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications honour people who help others understand science. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine present these awards in partnership with Schmidt Sciences.

The awards recognise science journalists, research scientists and science communicators who share science through news stories, videos, photos and other formats. Their goal is to make science easier for everyone to understand.

Schmidt Awards 2026: Prize Money and Ceremony Date

The 2026 Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications offer a total of $640,000 in prize money across eight categories. The National Academies selected 24 award recipients from more than 750 entries for work published or aired in 2025.

Each category has one top prize of $40,000 and two additional awards of $20,000 each. The winners will be honoured in Washington, D.C., from November 17 to 20, 2026.

Why Do These Science Communication Awards Matter?

Science is part of our everyday lives. It helps us understand health, technology and the world around us. But some science topics can be difficult to follow.

Science communicators make these subjects easier by using simple words, pictures, videos and real-life examples. These awards recognise their work and encourage more people to learn about science.

The four Indian-origin winners show how science can reach people in different ways. Aatish Bhatia uses interactive graphics, Harini Bhat creates science videos, Anand Varma uses photography to communicate science, and Rupsa Chakraborty works in science journalism.

Their achievements also show how people with Indian roots are making important contributions to science communication in the United States. The Schmidt Awards recognise these contributions and encourage more people to share science with the public.

The achievements of these four Indian-origin science communicators show how creative storytelling can make science more accessible to the public. Their recognition highlights the contributions of Indian-origin professionals to science communication in the United States.

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