Quantum Chemistry driven by computational techniques, would help accelerate the pace of traditional drug development process which is incredibly slow and expensive, often taking over 10 years to bring a new drug to market.

Ananthakrishna Gopal, our next pathbreaker, Research Engineer at TCS, focuses on research on Quantum Chemistry, working towards developing novel algorithms for GPUs and Quantum Computers. 

Ananthakrishna talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy from The Interview Portal about his time at IISER Thiruvananthapuram, that sparked his interests in inter-disciplinary research – from abstract mathematics to computational biology.

For students, take life as it comes, be open to new opportunities and challenges. Only time will tell where this journey leads! 

Ananthakrishna, can you share your background with our young readers?

Growing up, I had a nomadic life moving across the country, yet a stable and holistic education in Kendriya Vidyalayas across the country. Whilst challenging, this became one of my greatest assets – exposure to diverse cultures and perspectives shaping me, and my career choices.

Amidst this chaos, I cherish the time spent with my grandparents  in summer, building and fixing stuff, for example, opening up scooters/motorcycles, woodwork, electrical/electronic items, and other such things. Looking back, these  were the first seeds sowed that spurred my interests in research and engineering. 

These experiences, along with the mathematical olympiads such as RMO,  and various National Children’s Science Congress events that I had participated in, led me to prioritize exploration over a conventional career path, i.e. pursuing basic sciences over engineering or medicine.

What did you do for graduation/post-graduation?

As mentioned earlier, I chose to pursue a degree in basic sciences. The next question was where?

I was instantly drawn to IISc/IISER’s approach to education. These research-focused institutes encouraged interdisciplinary learning, and their BS-MS dual degree program perfectly aligned with my desire to explore before specializing.

My first two years were incredibly diverse – I studied physics, chemistry, math, and biology, along with various interdisciplinary courses and labs. Eventually, I chose mathematics as my major and data science as my minor, though I couldn’t resist taking several courses offered by other departments.

During my time at IISER Thiruvananthapuram, I dove into every scientific area that sparked my interest – from abstract category theory and differential geometry to computational biology and hands-on lab work. This broad exposure helped me develop a deep appreciation for both theoretical and practical aspects of science, which has proved invaluable in my career.

What were some of the key influences that led you to such an offbeat, unconventional, and unique career in Quantum Chemistry?

It was really a combination of curiosity, people, and circumstances that brought me here. My professors and mentors played a crucial role – they encouraged me to explore without fear and helped me understand that I didn’t need to lock myself into a rigid career path.

How did you plan the steps to get into this career?

In my final year, while feeling the pressure to choose between a PhD and industry, I decided to keep my options open. TCS had come to our campus, offering a research engineering role in Quantum Computing & Machine Learning. Given my interdisciplinary background, I decided to give it a shot – and here I am!

It was a tough decision to make, I chose to start at TCS, knowing I could always return to academia later.

Two pieces of advice really helped me during this time:

1. Take things one step at a time – whether it’s for an hour, a day, or a few years

2. Be honest with yourself – it makes life much simpler

How did you get your first break?

I started at TCS Research working on Quantum Computing and Optimization, developing algorithms for quantum computing applied to optimization problems. During this period, I had an opportunity to repurpose our ideas in quantum computing, towards advanced quantum chemistry.

Thanks to an amazing mentor who helped transform my raw ideas into actionable research, we ended up filing six patents in just six months! Things really took off from there.

What were some of the challenges you faced? How did you address them?

The biggest challenge was definitely communicating across disciplines. In research, you work with people from vastly different backgrounds – scientists, engineers, managers, software developers – and getting everyone on the same page can be tricky. Fortunately, my diverse academic background helped me bridge these gaps, and having supportive team members, mentors, and managers made all the difference.

Where do you work now and What problems do you solve?

I’m still with TCS, focusing on accelerating Quantum Chemistry, developing novel algorithms for GPUs and Quantum Computers. 

The problems I solve are in a way multi-dimensional, there’s an aspect of building business cases for our work, and developing exciting new work in the field of quantum technologies. This can be developing new algorithms or contributing to strategy and product development.

What skills are needed for this job? How did you acquire them?

One needs a strong skill to think mathematically, computationally, and in terms of value generation. These were developed over the course of my education in mathematics, paired with my interests engineering and desire to build for impact.

What’s a typical day like?

A mix of coding, thinking, discussing new ideas with colleagues, and problem-solving.

What do you love about this job?

The freedom to explore and build new things!

How does your work benefit society?

One of our main applications is in drug discovery. Traditional drug development is incredibly slow and expensive, often taking over 10 years to bring a new drug to market. Through quantum chemistry and computational techniques, we’re helping to accelerate this process. In principle, we could help reduce that 10-year timeline to about 5 years, making medicines available to people much faster.

Tell us about a specific memorable work you did?

Without doubt, it was my first work in Quantum Computing, applied to quantum chemistry. While unexpected, this pivot led to some exciting developments. If you’re interested in the technical details, you can check out our paper: https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.07051v3.

Your advice to students based on your experience?

First, stay curious. Don’t be afraid to explore different fields – you never know what might click. Second, focus on creating value. Whatever path you choose, aim to make a meaningful impact.

Future Plans?

I’m taking life as it comes, staying open to new opportunities and challenges. Only time will tell where this journey leads!