Assam: Jugal Talukdar becomes first Assamese chairman of American Physical Society unit

Bajali: Jugal Talukdar, originally from a small village in Bajali district, has achieved a remarkable milestone by becoming the first person from Assam to be appointed Chairman of the FGSA unit of the American Physical Society (APS), the world’s largest professional organisation for physicists.

Talukdar’s academic journey began in his native Medhikuchi village on the banks of the Pahumara River. He completed his early education at Shankardev Shishu Niketan and went on to excel academically throughout his schooling.

In 2010, he topped the state in the High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) examination. He continued his strong performance by securing the sixth rank in the state in the Higher Secondary (Science) examination in 2012.

Although he had opportunities to pursue engineering or medical studies, Jugal chose physics, his true passion. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in physics from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, in 2017.

He then moved to the United States for further studies, earning his doctoral degree in physics from the University of Oklahoma with the support of the prestigious Homer Aldridge Fellowship.

After completing his PhD, Talukdar joined the research group of noted physicist Professor Prineha Narang at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he continued his work in quantum science.

His appointment as Chairman of the APS-FGSA unit marks a historic moment for Assam’s scientific community. In this role, Talukdar has also taken part in key discussions at Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., reflecting growing global recognition of his research contributions.