Four scholars rooted in the Indian academic tradition have been named among the 2026 University of Florida Research Foundation (UFRF) Professors, a distinction reserved for the university’s most productive faculty.
The honorees, Kshitij Khare, Desika Narayanan, Jasmeet Judge, and Paramita Chakrabarty, represent a bridge between premier Indian institutions and American scientific frontiers.
Their selection highlights the profound impact of the Indian diaspora on U.S. research in fields ranging from the mysteries of deep space to the complexities of the human brain.
Dr. Paramita Chakrabarty, an associate professor in the College of Medicine, traced her scientific journey from the University of Calcutta and New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).
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Initially studying intestinal parasites for her PhD in India, she transitioned to neuroscience in the US. Today, her lab at UF is at the forefront of Alzheimer’s research, investigating how the immune system can be harnessed to combat neurodegenerative diseases.
In the realm of mathematics, Dr. Kshitij Khare, a professor of statistics, brings the rigor of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) to the Gator Nation.
An alumnus of ISI’s Kolkata and Delhi campuses, Khare’s work now focuses on high-dimensional covariance estimation and Bayesian computation. His transition from India’s top statistics program to a Stanford PhD and ultimately a UF professorship exemplifies the global pipeline of technical excellence.
Agriculture and technology intersect in the work of Dr. Jasmeet Judge. As the director of UF’s Center for Remote Sensing, Judge has maintained a deep professional connection to her heritage through the Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowship.
Her current collaborations with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru utilize data from the upcoming NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission to improve soil and crop monitoring, a project that directly links NASA’s technology with India’s agricultural needs.
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Rounding out the group is Dr. Desika Narayanan, an associate professor of astronomy. While Narayanan began his undergraduate journey at UF, his research into galaxy evolution and star formation contributes to a broader global understanding of the cosmos, often engaging with the international astrophysical community.
The UFRF professorships are awarded based on a three-year record of research excellence and the potential for continued future contributions.
For these four faculty members, the honor is not just a professional milestone, but a testament to the enduring strength of their academic foundations in India, which continue to fuel innovation within the American heartland.