Sambalpur: Bringing global recognition to Odisha, Dr. Subham Sahoo, a native of Bamra in Sambalpur district, has been selected for the prestigious Richard M. Bass Outstanding Young Power Electronics Engineer Award 2026, becoming the first Indian to receive the honour.
The internationally acclaimed award recognises exceptional achievements in the field of power electronics by engineers under the age of 35. Instituted in 1999, the award commemorates Richard M. Bass of the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, USA, and is regarded as one of the highest recognitions for young researchers in the discipline.
Dr. Sahoo is currently serving as an Associate Professor in the Department of Energy at Aalborg University (AAU), Denmark. His pioneering research at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), communication systems and power electronics, particularly in the design of secure power electronic systems, has earned widespread international acclaim.
Over the years, his work has received recognition from several leading scientific bodies, including the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE), the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), the EU-US National Academy of Engineering Frontiers of Engineering, and the European Network of System Identification.
Dr. Sahoo has also held visiting academic and research appointments at globally renowned institutions, including the University of Edinburgh, the National University of Singapore (NUS), and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He is affiliated with the Danish Data Science Academy (DDSA), the European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS), and the Lundbeck Foundation Investigation Network in Denmark.
Apart from his academic contributions, he serves as the Vice-Chair of IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS) Technical Committee 10 on Design Methodologies since 2023 and is the Chair of the joint IEEE PELS/IAS/IES Chapter in Denmark.
From VSSUT to global scientific recognition
Dr. Subham Sahoo, son of Nabaghan Sahoo and Meenakshi Sahoo of Bamra, completed his schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sambalpur. He earned his B.Tech in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT), Burla, before pursuing his Ph.D. at IIT Delhi. He later completed postdoctoral research at the National University of Singapore and Aalborg University.
Dr. Sahoo will receive the prestigious award at a ceremony scheduled to be held in Vancouver, Canada, during the first week of October 2026. His achievement has been widely celebrated across Odisha, with congratulatory messages pouring in from academic institutions, alumni, and well-wishers. VSSUT has also featured his accomplishment on its alumni portal, hailing it as a moment of pride for the university and the state.
Dr. Sahoo’s recognition marks a significant milestone not only for Odisha but also for India, highlighting the country’s growing contribution to cutting-edge research and innovation in power electronics.