The Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar (IITGN) will host an international discussion
meeting, ‘10 Years of Gravitational Wave Discovery: Advancing the Frontiers of Gravitational
Physics’, from October 6 to 10, 2025. The event will bring together leading scientists from India and
abroad to mark the 10th anniversary of the first detection of gravitational waves (GWs) in 2015, a
breakthrough that confirmed a century-old prediction of Albert Einstein’s General Theory of
Relativity and revolutionized our understanding of the cosmos.
The five-day meeting will feature technical seminars, intensive discussions, and a special session on
the LIGO India initiative aimed at inspiring students and science enthusiasts. With a focus on both
theoretical and experimental aspects of gravitational physics, the gathering will serve as a platform
to reflect on the remarkable progress of the past decade and chart the path ahead in one of the
most exciting frontiers of modern science.
More than thirty distinguished researchers are expected to participate. Leading international
participants include Bruce Allen and Maria Alessandra Papa (Max Planck Institute for Gravitational
Physics, Germany), Thomas Sotiriou (University of Nottingham, UK), Alexander Nitz (Syracuse
University, USA), Andrea Maselli (Gran Sasso Science Institute, Italy), and David Hilditch (CENTRA,
Portugal). A strong contingent of Indian scientists from premier institutes such as IUCAA Pune, ICTS
Bengaluru, RRI Bengaluru, TIFR Mumbai, CMI Chennai, SINP Kolkata, IISER Kolkata, and various IITs
will also contribute.
The meeting will highlight the pivotal contributions of Indian scientists to the first GW detection.
Sanjeev Dhurandhar (IUCAA), who pioneered data analysis techniques in the 1990s that played a
foundational role in the discovery. Other leading Indian participants include Archana Pai (IIT
Bombay, Chair of the LIGO-India Scientific Collaboration), and Sendhil Raja (RRCAT Indore), who is
spearheading the construction of the upcoming LIGO-India detector along with other leading
national experts.
“The detection of gravitational waves has opened a revolutionary new window on the universe.
Beyond astrophysical discoveries, gravitational-wave physics provides a remarkable opportunity to
test Einstein’s theory of general relativity and may point toward new laws of gravity,” said Prof
Sudipta Sarkar, organising committee, IITGN.
“The upcoming LIGO-India detector will put our country at the heart of the global gravitational-wave
network. This meeting is both a celebration and a call to prepare for that responsibility,” said Prof
Anand Sengupta, organising committee, IITGN.
IITGN, known for its strong emphasis on interdisciplinary research and international collaboration, is
proud to host this gathering at a time when gravitational wave science is entering an era of rapid
expansion and discovery.