PM Modi dedicates IIT-Madras brain centre to nation, launches mission to map 100 human brains

CHENNAI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (October 11) dedicated the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre at IIT Madras to the nation, launched a global mission to map more than 100 human brains at cellular resolution and released a specialised atlas of stroke-affected brain tissue, strengthening India’s contribution to advanced neuroscience research.

The mission aims to produce three-dimensional atlases of human brains spanning the lifespan, from the foetal stage to old age. The resulting maps are expected to provide researchers worldwide with detailed insights into the brain’s cellular architecture and support investigations into neurological disorders.

Modi also released C-STROKE, described as a first-of-its-kind human ischaemic stroke atlas. Featuring more than 1,000 annotated microscopic sections from a stroke-affected brain, the resource is intended to help scientists identify potential therapeutic targets and deepen their understanding of the tissue damage caused by the condition.

Ischaemic stroke occurs when a blockage interrupts blood flow to part of the brain, damaging brain tissue. The atlas offers researchers a detailed resource for examining these changes and exploring avenues for further investigation.

Established in March 2022 with support from Sudha and Kris Gopalakrishnan, the centre brings together expertise in neuroscience, engineering, advanced imaging and computational science to map the human brain at cellular resolution.

Its work has already produced significant research resources. In 2024, the centre released DHARANI, a three-dimensional atlas of the human foetal brain comprising digital images of 5,132 brain sections. In June 2026, it released ANCHOR, a three-dimensional atlas of the human brainstem mapping more than 200 nuclei and fibre tracts.

The centre’s whole-brain imaging platform enables scientists to examine cellular structures across large volumes of brain tissue, generating detailed datasets for collaborative research.

The latest initiative expands this effort towards a collection of brain maps covering different stages of life. By making these resources available to the international research community, the centre aims to deepen understanding of the human brain and support future investigations into neurological diseases.