Padmanabhan has been awarded for developing a thermodynamical perspective in which gravity arises as an emergent phenomenon and for contributing significantly to understand dark energy, TWAS said in a statement.
TWAS is an autonomous international organisation, based in Trieste, Italy, that promotes scientific excellence for sustainable development in the South. The award comprises USD 15,000 and a personalised plaque which will be given to him during the award ceremony in 2012.
His research work in the field of gravity has fetched him four prizes in the last seven years from the Gravity Research Foundation, USA, including the First Award in 2008,
Padmanabhan has won numerous awards including Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award (CSIR), The Millennium Medal (CSIR), G D Birla Award, Homi Bhabha Fellowship, J C Bose National Fellowship, INSA Vainu-Bappu Medal, Al-Khwarizmi International Award, Miegunah Fellowship of University of Melbourne. He is also currently the Chairman of the Astrophysics Commission of International Union of Pure and Applied Physics. In recognition of his achievements, the President of India awarded him the medal of honour, Padma Shri, in 2007.