Lodha Foundation launches LTPI, India’s first private theoretical physics research institute

The Lodha Foundation has launched the Lodha Theoretical Physics Institute (LTPI), calling it India’s only fully privately funded institute focused on theoretical physics research. The institute was launched on May 27 at Lodha World Tower in Mumbai.

According to the Foundation, the LTPI was started to support long-term research in theoretical physics and bring together scientists from India and other countries. The institute will organise research programmes, international conferences, and academic exchange activities in the field of fundamental physics.

The institute will be led by theoretical physicist Jainendra K Jain, who has received the Wolf Prize in Physics and the Oliver E Buckley Prize. Jain is well known for his research on composite fermions and quantum matter.

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LTPI boosts long-term physics research

Abhishek Lodha, Trustee of Lodha Foundation and CEO and MD of Lodha Developers, said the Foundation wants to support India’s growth through philanthropy focused on excellence.

“We at Lodha Foundation believe excellence is key to making a big impact. We support talented people, invest in sustainable city solutions, and promote research through institutes like the Lodha Mathematical Sciences Institute and the new Lodha Theoretical Physics Institute. Our goal is to contribute to India’s growth into a developed nation,” Lodha said.

The Foundation said LTPI is based on the belief that big technological changes often come from basic scientific discoveries. It aims to give researchers freedom to think, stable support for long-term work, and chances to collaborate with others.

Ashish Kumar Singh, chief mentor at Lodha Foundation, said the institute will create an environment where scientists can work freely on advanced physics research.

“The most talented people from around the world should come together and spend time freely thinking about physics without any restrictions. When great minds work together, they create great results. This is a bet we are making for India,” Singh said.

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Strong institutions are key to India’s 2047 goal

Jain said theoretical physics has always played an important role in driving scientific progress and innovation.

“Theoretical physics is key to understanding nature, and its progress has shaped science and many major developments over time. To become a developed nation by 2047, India needs strong institutions with world-class research facilities. LTPI is an important step in that direction as India’s first fully privately funded physics institute,” he said.

As part of its launch activities, LTPI is hosting the 10th international meeting on Emergent Phenomena in Quantum Hall Systems (EPQHS-10), a three-day workshop with scientists from different countries. The event will focus on recent discoveries and future directions in physics research.

During the workshop, Nobel Prize-winning physicist Klaus von Klitzing, Director Emeritus at the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, gave a public lecture in association with the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR). He spoke about the discovery of the quantum Hall effect and how it changed international measurement standards.