Professor G. Madhavi Latha and Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla won NDTV’s ‘Science Icon Of The Year’ awards. Both won the awards for their incredible achievements after years of dedication and perseverance in the field of science.
Latha won the award for her successful efforts in the construction of the Chenab Bridge in June 2025. Latha is a geotechnical and rock-engineering expert at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru.
She has dedicated 17 years as a consultant to the construction of the bridge, which is the world’s highest railway bridge at 359 metres above the riverbed. This dwarfs the Eiffel Tower by 35 metres.
Latha has been praised for her a pivotal role in the geotechnical design and foundational engineering for the iconic Chenab Bridge as there were tremendous challenges including navigating the extreme Himalayan terrain.
The Chenab Bridge was approved in 2003 and inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi in June 2025. The bridge faced notoriously harsh terrain — steep Himalayan slopes, fractured rock, hidden cavities, high winds (over 220 km/h), and seismic activity — making it one of India’s most complex civil-engineering projects.
Latha said, “Would like to dedicate this award to Indian Railways for the engineering achievement.”
