Indian-Origin Scientist Veerabhadran Ramanathan Wins Crafoord Prize 2026 | 05 Feb 2026

Why in News?

Indian-origin climate scientist Veerabhadran Ramanathan has been awarded the 2026 Crafoord Prize in Geosciences by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences — a distinction often described as the “Nobel of Geosciences” due to its prestige in fields not covered by the Nobel Prizes.

Key Points: 

• Key Contributions:The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences selected Ramanathan for his "pioneering contributions to our understanding of the role of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) and the greenhouse effect." 
• Discovery of Non-CO2 Greenhouse Gases (1975): He was the first to demonstrate that Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)—previously only known for ozone depletion—were also potent greenhouse gases.  
• Atmospheric Brown Clouds (ABCs): His research identified vast "brown clouds" of soot and dust over South Asia and the Indian Ocean.  
  • He showed that these particles (Black Carbon) absorb sunlight, heating the atmosphere while simultaneously cooling the Earth's surface (dimming effect), which disrupts monsoon patterns. 
• Crafoord Prize: Established by Holger Crafoord (industrialist) and his wife Anna-Greta in 1980. 
• Awarded by: The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (the same body that awards Nobel Prizes). 
• Disciplines: It is awarded in fields not covered by the Nobel Prizes: Mathematics, Astronomy, Geosciences, and Biosciences.