Recognising innovation in the field of economics, the Infosys Science Foundation (ISF) has awarded the prestigious Infosys Prize 2025 in Economics to Nikhil Agarwal, the Paul A. Samuelson Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 

Nikhil Agarwal's pioneering contributions to market design have set new standards in empirical studies for allocation mechanisms, affecting critical areas such as school choice, medical residency, and kidney exchanges, and make him a worthy winner of the 2025 Infosys Prize in Economics.

The selection of Agarwal comes as part of the ISF's initiative to promote early-career researchers by honoring individuals under 40 years of age. This shift, introduced in 2024, underscores the foundation's commitment to recognizing and nurturing talent that shapes the future of scholarship and innovation. 

Agarwal's research addresses complex "matching problems," scenarios where traditional market principles fall short. His work elucidates how individuals seeking vital resources—like patients in need of kidney transplants or students aiming for college admission—can be systematically matched through innovative market design techniques. By anchoring his theories in empirical data, Agarwal provides profound insights that have the potential to influence policy design and enhance societal welfare. 

The Infosys Prize is renowned for being one of the most significant awards in India, which not only honors excellence but also fosters a scientific culture that drives innovation across multiple disciplines. Each laureate receives a gold medal, a citation, and a prize purse of USD 100,000, along with international recognition, often leading to further prestigious awards. 

K. Dinesh, President of the Board of Trustees, ISF, expressed his congratulations to the winners, highlighting their work as an essential bridge between research, science, and societal advancement:

"I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the winners of the Infosys Prize 2025, whose achievements reflect the vital connection between research, science, and society, inspiring the next generation of innovators. The Infosys Prize continues to embody our belief that research and science are cornerstones of human progress. It reflects the Foundation’s enduring commitment to nurturing a culture that drives innovation and broadens understanding across disciplines."

The five other winners were Sushant Sachdeva (University of Toronto) in the field of Engineering and Computer Science, Andrew Ollett (University of Chicago) in Humanities and Social Science, Anjana Badrinarayanan (NCBS, Bangalore) in Life Sciences, Sabyasachi Mukherjee (Tata Institute, Mumbai) in Mathematical Sciences and Karthish Manthiram (Caltech) in Physical Sciences.

As the economics landscape continues to evolve, Agarwal's contributions in the field of market design promise not only to enrich the field of economics, but also to improve the efficacy and fairness of essential public services—a testament to the transformative potential of economic research.

You can read more about the justification for the award of the 2025 Infosys Prize to Nikhal Agarwal on the Infosys Laureate Page

You can read more about Nikhal Agarwal on his MIT Profile page

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_{^{Image Credits: infosysprize.org}}