For his work developing nanotechnology-enabled water filters, Pradeep was awarded the 25^th Nikkei Asia Prize (Science and Technology). Pradeep, who leads the International Centre for Clean Water at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, is also a recipient of a 2020 Padma Shri Award in the field of Science and Engineering. From pesticide to arsenic removal technology, his work has benefitted over ten million Indians, providing them with clean and safe drinking water. His nanochemistry-based water filters consist of a first layer that kills bacteria and viruses with silver nanoparticles and a second layer that traps iron and arsenic.

(Photo: Indian Institute of Technology Madras)