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London
The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) in the UK conferred the 2023 Faraday Medal upon Stanford University Professor Emeritus and Celesta Capital Advisor Arogyaswami Paulraj. Dr Paulraj became the 100th recipient of this prestigious award at a ceremony held in London.
Paulraj said, “I am extremely honored to be awarded the IET Faraday Medal. I believe digital access is truly an equalizer in terms of opportunity creation, and with 5G, India has the potential to enter and succeed in deep technology industries. Since almost all the value addition in these industries comes from innovation and IP ownership, the industry has many barriers to entry. Going forward, India must thoroughly understand all the industry dynamics to frame a successful path.”
The citation recognized his contributions ‘For the invention, advancement, and commercialization of MIMO Wireless’. The Faraday Medal stands as one of the world’s most distinguished honours for engineers and scientists who have made significant contributions to the advancement of technologies with global impact.
MIMO (Multiple In, Multiple Out) wireless technology plays a crucial role in powering 4G, 5G mobile, and WiFi networks, and its impact is extensive. This technology has revolutionized high-speed wireless access, connecting not only the 6.5 billion smartphone users but also an additional 12 billion personal and machine-type devices to the internet.
Dr Paulraj also founded/cofounded three national laboratories in India, spanning AI and robotics, military electronics, and high-performance computing. In 1991, he joined Stanford University. Dr Paulraj invented the MIMO technique in 1992, while working on a DARPA project for US defense. He completed his PhD from the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi, India. He has received several awards, including the National Inventors Hall of Fame (USPTO), the Marconi Prize and Fellowship in 2014, and the IEEE Alexander Graham Bell Medal in 2011. He is a fellow of eight scientific and engineering national academies, including those in the United States, China, India, and Sweden. Additionally, he is a fellow of the IEEE and AAAS.
In 1999, Paulraj founded Iospan Wireless Inc., a company that played a pivotal role in developing and establishing MIMO-OFDMA wireless as the core technology for 4G networks. Iospan was subsequently acquired by Intel Corporation in 2003. In 2004, he co-founded Beceem Communications Inc., which became a market leader in 4G-WiMAX semiconductor technology and was acquired by Broadcom Corp. in 2010.
