Shiraz Minwalla, a string theorist at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in Mumbai, India, has been named the recipient of the 2010 ICTP Prize.

The Prize recognizes Minwalla's influential work in string theory. As a researcher and faculty member at Harvard University, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and, most recently, TIFR, he has won numerous fellowships and awards, including an Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship, a National Science Foundation Presidential Career Fellowship, and a Swarnajayanti Fellowship from the Government of India. His papers have generated numerous citations. In 2008 he taught a course on "Fluid Dynamics from Gravity" at ICTP; that same year, Minwalla was elected as a Young Affiliate of The Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS).

Minwalla received a PhD in physics from Princeton University, and a master's in physics from IIT.

ICTP's Scientific Council created the Prize in 1982. It recognizes young scientists (under 40) from developing countries who work and live in those countries and who have made outstanding and original contributions in physics or mathematics. The Prize includes a sculpture, certificate and a cash award of €3,000.

Each year, the ICTP Prize is given in honour of a scientist who has made outstanding contributions to the field in which the Prize is given. The 2010 ICTP Prize honours Nicola Cabibbo, one of the greatest theoretical high energy physicists. Cabibbo has also been a key player in ICTP since its early days and is currently chair of the ICTP Scientific Council.

To view the full citation of Minwalla's award, as well as a list of past winners, see the ICTP Prize webpage.