IIT Kharagpur
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IIT Kharagpur Foundation (USA) NEWSLETTER

Volume: 2.14.2026

Dear Reader,

“Science is a way of thinking much more than it is a body of knowledge.” — Carl Sagan

IITKGP alumnus Sanjiban Choudhury, now a computer science professor at Cornell University, has received the prestigious NSF CAREER Award. The $400,000 grant will support his pioneering research on robots that learn new skills by observing humans, experimenting, and improving through feedback—work that could transform robotics applications in homes, health care, and agriculture, while engaging K–12 students through hands-on STEM education.

IITKGP Ka Tempo High Hai!

Education Built Us. Now We Build the Future.

Sanjiban Choudhury (2011/BS + MS/EE) Wins Prestigious NSF (Naitonal Science Foundation) Early Career Development Award

Sanjiban Choudhury, an Indian American robotics researcher and assistant professor of computer science at Cornell University’s Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science, has received the prestiguous National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award.

The $400,000 grant will support his research on developing robots that learn new skills by observing people, experimenting, and improving through feedback. His work aims to make robots more adaptable and useful in real-world settings such as homes, health care, and agriculture.

The project also includes educational initiatives, offering interactive robotics activities and accessible online resources to engage K–12 students and broaden participation in STEM.

Choudhury’s research spans reinforcement learning, imitation learning, and foundation models for robotics and planning. He completed his postdoctoral work at the University of Washington, earned his PhD from Carnegie Mellon University, and holds BS and MS degrees in Electrical Engineering from IIT Kharagpur.

Congratulations to Sanjiban Choudhury on this outstanding achievement—we celebrate your success with immense pride. May your journey inspire fellow young alumni to stay engaged, give back, and help IITKGP empower the next generation of innovators.