Overview

On 31 October 2026, Chandigarh University marked the 100th birth anniversary of Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany, widely recognised as the "Father of Fibre Optics," by announcing India’s first Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany Research Chair for Excellence in Sciences and Innovation. The Chair is funded with an annual research grant of ₹1 crore and is intended to provide mentorship, guidance and research support to emerging scientists, encouraging the translation of scientific discoveries into impactful technologies.

Awards and Recognitions

The university introduced three dedicated awards under the Chair:

  • Narinder Singh Kapany Award for Excellence in Physics (Lifetime Achievement), conferred on Dr. Ajoy Ghatak, Professor Emeritus, IIT Delhi, for his seminal contributions to fibre optics, integrated optics and photonics.
  • CU Physics Excellence Awards for Best Patent, presented to five patent teams:

1. Dr. Ritu Gupta & Dr. Sandeep Kaur – “Multi‑functional Optical Antenna System for Parallel FSO‑VLC Communication and Nano‑biosignal Monitoring.”

2. Shonak Bansal & Anupama – “Self‑powered Real‑time Health Monitoring System using Nanowire Photodetectors.”

3. Aditya Bhatnagar & Dr. Sanjeev Saini – “Multifunctional Organic‑Inorganic Hybrid Luminescent Nanomaterials and a Method for Their Preparation.”

4. Mahima Purohit & Dr. Ruchi Bharti – “Biodegradable, Water‑resistant Smart Packaging Film for Fluorescence‑based Detection of Food Spoilage.”

5. Ashit Tripathi, Sachitanand Singh, Iqra Jamal Khan, Sanskruti Singh, Alok Gautam, Mahak – “Handheld Wireless OCT and Fundus Imaging Device.”

  • CU Physics Excellence Awards for Best Research Publication, granted to eight faculty members and students for high‑impact papers in Q1/Q2 journals, including:
  • Ravikant – “Nitrogen‑doped zinc oxide to enhance dielectric characteristics of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) derived nanocomposites in composites communications.”
  • Shivani Singla – “Optimising the Neodymium Concentration in Sodium Borate Glass for Enhanced Photoluminescent and Mechanical Behaviour” (Ceramics International, Q1).
  • Sumit Bhardwaj – “Structural, Optical and Photocatalytic Properties of Ce‑Doped Ni‑Zn Ferrite Nanoparticles” (Ceramics International, Q1).
  • Ruby Priya – “Deconvoluting Capacitive and Diffusive Contributions in Cu‑Doped SnO₂ Nanoparticles for Enhanced Double‑Layer Capacitance and Oxygen Evolution Reaction” (Materials Today Communications, Q1).
  • Akhil Saxena – “Mechanistic Elucidation of Persicaria maculosa Gray Extract as a Corrosion Inhibitor: Adsorption, Electrochemical Behavior, and DFT Validation” (South African Journal of Chemical Engineering).
  • Harvinder Singh Sohal – “Synergistic Adsorptive‑Photocatalytic Degradation of Tartrazine Using Mn‑Modified Fe₃O₄/Lignocellulose Magnetic Nanocomposites” (International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, Q1).
  • Surjeet Chahal – “Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensor for Dopamine Detection Based on CeO₂ Nanorod and ZnO Nanosheet” (Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics, Q2).
  • Dr. Sanjeev Kumar – “1‑Monolinoleoylglycerol and 3,4‑Dihydroxymandelic Acids‑Mediated ZnO for Antibiotic Degradation and Anticancer Activity” (Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, Q1).

Dignitaries and Remarks

The centenary ceremony was attended by:

  • Prof. (Dr.) Samir K. Mondal, Scientist‑G, Optics & Photonics Instrumentation, CSIR‑CSIO, who highlighted Kapany’s pioneering work on thin flexible glass fibres, the coining of the term “optical fibre,” and the development of the fibre scope that led to modern endoscopy.
  • Prof. (Dr.) Aaron Danner, National University of Singapore, who emphasized the evolution of Kapany’s glass‑fibre concepts onto silicon and lithium‑niobate platforms for high‑speed photonic devices.
  • Dr. Satbir Singh Sehgal, Vice‑Chancellor of Chandigarh University, who linked Kapany’s legacy to today’s AI, data‑centre and high‑speed internet ecosystems.
  • Kiran Kaur Kapany, daughter of Dr. Kapany, who expressed gratitude to the university and urged students to stay curious.

Institutional Profile

Chandigarh University is a NAAC A+‑graded and QS World‑ranked autonomous institution, approved by the UGC and located near Chandigarh, Punjab. It offers more than 109 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across engineering, management, pharmacy, law, architecture, journalism, animation, hotel management, commerce and other fields. The university has been recognised as The University with Best Placements by WCRC.

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