"Discoveries in science and technology not only strengthen our economy, they inspire us as a people." Obama said announcing the awards Monday. "The impressive accomplishments of today's awardees so early in their careers promise even greater advances in the years ahead."

The honoured Indian-Americans were Biju Parekkadan of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Pawan Sinha and Parag A. Pathak, both Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Sridevi Vedula Sarma of Johns Hopkins University.