ORADELL, NJ (TIP): Indian American Indrani Das, 17, of Oradell, New Jersey, won the top award in the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition. Forty finalists, including Indrani, were honored on March 14 at the annual Regeneron Science Talent Search Awards Gala for their research projects demonstrating exceptional scientific and mathematical ability, taking home more than $1.8 million in awards provided by Regeneron.

Indrani won the top award of $250,000 for her study of a possible approach to treating the death of neurons due to brain injury or neurodegenerative disease. Another Indian student got third place. Arjun Ramani, 18, of West Lafayette, Indiana, came third for blending the mathematical field of graph theory with computer programming to answer questions about networks.

Archana Verma, 17, of Jericho, New York, Prathik Naidu, 18, of Potomac Falls, Virginia, and Vrinda Madan, 17, of Orlando, Florida took fifth, seventh and ninth places respectively. Eight other Indian-origin students were among the 40 finalists.

“Now more than ever, we need our nation’s best and brightest young minds to pursue their interest in science and use their talents to solve our world’s most intractable problems,” said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO of Society for Science & the Public and Publisher of Science News. “I congratulate our finalists, who are all poised to become our future scientific leaders.” Society for Science & the Public has organized and produced the Science Talent Search since it was founded in 1942.