Chaitali Sengupta: Savour the moment

Mention Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the world of science and technology sits up and takes notice. Being recognised as one of the world?s top innovators by MIT?s magazine of innovation, thus, makes it all the more special.

But Chaitali Sengupta managed that and more. This engineer at Texas Instruments (TI) in the US, along with another TI colleague Anuj Batra, has made it to the 2004 list of the world?s 100 Top Young Innovators by MIT?s Technology Review.

Sengupta has a strong Bengal connection, hailing from Durgapur and completing her bachelor of technology in computer science and engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur.

?The award feels really special,? said Sengupta over phone from Texas. ?Particularly because of the institution and publication associated with it, and since it recognises my work in the wireless network area.?

To put it simply, the 34-year-old?s key area of work is third-generation (3G) wireless modems used in cellular systems. That includes silicon chips that go in the handsets and the software architecture that drives it.

Sengupta had started her career with TI?s Bangalore unit, before deciding to take a break from work to complete her Master of Science and later PhD in electrical engineering from Rice University in the US. On completion, she went back to TI.

How different is the experience of working in India and abroad? ?The world is becoming smaller and similar, so there isn?t really a lot of difference,? feels Sengupta. ?But of course, there are some cultural differences and how you relate to people.? The work tradition (she wouldn?t term it ?work ethics?) is also better.

?But the foundation was at IIT with the best training I could have received,? admitted Sengupta. ?In fact, the high-pressure scenario we?re accustomed to since school also helped.? She had done her schooling in Durgapur, where her parents still reside.

?I make it a point to visit them at least once every year,? added Sengupta, who has been in the US for the past 10 years.

Future plans include efforts towards getting some 3G products out and ?a lot of research?. ?I?m trying to get into areas like 3.5G and 4G.?

But for now, it?s time to savour the moment and wait till the formal award ceremony, just around the corner at Technology Review?s Emerging Technologies Conference at MIT.