2024 Esther Hoffman Beller Medal Winner

Get Involved

Optica Names Anurag Sharma the 2024 Esther Hoffman Beller Medal Recipient

Optica is pleased to announce that Anurag Sharma, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, India, has been selected as the 2024 recipient of the Esther Hoffman Beller Medal. Sharma is honored for outstanding contributions to optics and photonics teaching, research and leadership and in creating India's first dedicated Optics and Photonics Centre at Indian Institute of Technology Delhi.

Sharma's leadership, mentoring, and research will have a positive impact on India's optical science and technology community for years to come.

Sharma received his PhD from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi. He has been teaching at IIT Delhi for over 40 years and is currently an Emeritus Professor of Optics and Photonics and Physics. He was an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at the University of Karlsruhe (now KIT), Germany, a Senior Associate of the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy and a Visiting Professor at the University of Saint-Etienne, France.

His research has been in the area of modeling and analysis of optical waveguides and imaging devices and components, developing several new techniques for propagation of optical rays and waves. In addition to his seminal role in creating the Optics and Photonics Centre at IIT Delhi, Sharma has played a key role in nurturing the Master of Technology (M.Tech.) degree program in Applied Optics.

Sharma received the Excellence in Teaching Award and Lifetime Achievement Award from IIT Delhi. He also received the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for his research contributions. He is a Fellow of Optica, the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), the National Academy of Sciences, India INSAI), the Indian Academy of Sciences (IAS), the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE), and a Distinguished Fellow of the Optical Society of India (OSI). He is a Past President of the OSI.

Established in 1993, the Beller Medal is presented for outstanding contributions to education in optical science and engineering. Consideration is given to outstanding teaching and/or original work in optics education that enhances the understanding of optics. The scope of the award is international, and candidates at every career stage are considered. It is endowed by a bequest from the estate of Esther Hoffman Beller.

About Optica

Optica, Advancing Optics and Photonics Worldwide, is the society dedicated to promoting the generation, application, archiving and dissemination of knowledge in the field. Founded in 1916, it is the leading organization for scientists, engineers, business professionals, students and others interested in the science of light. Optica's renowned publications, meetings, online resources and in-person activities fuel discoveries, shape real-life applications and accelerate scientific, technical and educational achievement. Discover more at: Optica.org