‘The future is already being built’: Anand Mahindra praises 2 IISc Bengaluru professors for pushing the boundaries of high-speed aviation

India’s aerospace sector is undergoing a monumental shift, rapidly emerging as a global powerhouse of deep-tech innovation, cutting-edge research, and high-speed aviation advancements. Supported by world-class institutions and domestic talent, the nation is steadily transforming its technological landscape to power next-generation defense and commercial flight capabilities. This evolving scientific ecosystem continues to draw international attention as home-grown breakthroughs redefine what is possible in modern engineering. Highlighting this transformative wave, billionaire industrialist Anand Mahindra recently shared a post on X, teasing a game-changing national accomplishment that signals a bold new era for Indian innovation and scientific ambition.

IISc Bengaluru professors push boundaries of high-speed aviation

As per the post, Anand Mahindra highlighted the extraordinary contributions of Professors Duvvuri Subrahmanyam and Pratikash Panda from IISc Bengaluru, who are currently pioneering advanced research in the field of high-speed aviation. Describing their work as highly captivating science, he emphasized its critical role in shaping the future of India’s aerospace infrastructure, while playfully withholding finer technical details.

Beyond their groundbreaking scientific achievements, Mahindra drew attention to a particularly inspiring aspect of their journey. Both researchers previously worked at world-renowned international institutions—including Caltech, Princeton, Purdue, and Sandia Labs—before making the deliberate choice to return to India and advance their research domestically.


According to Mahindra, this key decision reflects the exceptional calibre of talent now being drawn back to the country, underscoring the rapid growth of a premier deep-tech ecosystem within national borders. He noted that top-tier scientists are no longer returning out of dynamic obligation, but rather out of intense ambition to build world-class technology on Indian soil. Concluding his tribute, Mahindra asserted that the future of technology is no longer a distant dream, but a reality actively taking shape right now—quietly, boldly, and proudly at home.

All about Duvvuri Subrahmanyam and Pratikash Panda

As per the Department of Aerospace Engineering IISc, Duvvuri Subrahmanyam is an Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering at IISc Bengaluru and heads the Turbulent Shear Flow Physics and Engineering Laboratory. His work spans aerodynamics and fluid dynamics, covering turbulent flows across subsonic, supersonic and hypersonic conditions, with both theoretical and practical applications. During the COVID-19 pandemic, his laboratory contributed to IISc’s efforts to develop affordable, high-functionality medical ventilators.

Pratikash Panda’s research focuses on fluid mechanics and combustion, using advanced optical and laser-based techniques under real-world thermo-fluidic conditions. His work covers aerospace and rocket propulsion, cryogenic combustion and micro-thrusters powered by greener fuels. He also researches gas-turbine and coal-based power generation, along with fire dynamics, heat transfer, soot formation, fire suppression and safety standards for high-energy fuels and propellants.