In an era where digital systems underpin everything from finance and healthcare to national security, the question is no longer whether software will be attacked, but how well it can defend itself. At the forefront of this global challenge stands Sanjam Garg, a prominent cryptography researcher whose work has reshaped the foundations of software security and privacy.
Sanjam Garg: From IIT Delhi to the Frontiers of Cryptography
Sanjam Garg’s journey began at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, where he earned his B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering in 2008. At IIT Delhi, he developed not only technical excellence but also a mindset driven by curiosity, rigor, and impact—qualities that would later define his career.
His academic path led him to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he completed his Ph.D. in Computer Science in 2013. His doctoral research on multilinear maps was widely regarded as transformative, earning the ACM Doctoral Dissertation Award, one of the highest honors for young computer scientists.
This early achievement signaled the arrival of a researcher destined to influence the direction of cryptography for decades.
Inventing the Idea of “Unhackable” Software
At the heart of Sanjam Garg’s research lies a bold and ambitious idea: software that can be used but not reverse-engineered.
Through pioneering work in indistinguishability obfuscation (iO), Garg developed cryptographic methods that allow programs to run normally while making their internal logic effectively impossible to uncover. This breakthrough challenged long-standing assumptions in computer science and unlocked new possibilities in:
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Secure cloud computing
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Advanced encryption systems
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Digital rights management
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Privacy-preserving data analysis
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Secure multiparty computation (MPC)
So profound was the impact of this work that Quanta Magazine described Garg’s contributions to obfuscation as a “watershed moment” for cryptography—a rare distinction reserved for ideas that fundamentally change a field.
Sanjam Garg: Leadership at UC Berkeley and Beyond
Today, Sanjam Garg is an Associate Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, within the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences (EECS). At Berkeley, he is not only a researcher but also a mentor, shaping the next generation of cryptographers and security experts.
Beyond academia, his influence extends into research and industry:
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Senior Scientist at NTT Research (Sunnyvale) in the Cryptography & Information Security Lab
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Visiting Scientist and frequent participant at the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing
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Affiliated with the Berkeley Center for Responsible, Decentralized Intelligence (RDI)
These roles place him at the intersection of theory, practice, and global collaboration—where the future of secure computing is being designed.
Global Recognition and Prestigious Honors
The impact of the Sanjam Garg cryptography researcher story is reflected in an exceptional list of honors:
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ACM Doctoral Dissertation Award (2013)
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EUROCRYPT Best Paper Awards (2013, 2018)
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CRYPTO Best Paper Award (2017)
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Sloan Research Fellowship (2020)
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Forbes 30 Under 30 – Science (2016)
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FOCS Test of Time Award (2023)
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Bakar Fellows Spark Award (2023)
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Okawa Research Grant (2016)