Google says its Willow chip is a major breakthrough in quantum computing. Handout photo
By Editorial Desk, on October 28, 2025
By Editorial Desk, on October 28, 2025
When Google CEO Sundar Pichai tweets about a breakthrough, and Elon Musk responds with a “Wow”, you know it’s something worth paying attention to. The announcement was about a new quantum chip called Willow, developed by Google, which the company says could bring quantum applications in medicine, materials science, and artificial intelligence closer to reality.
Yet, while the tweetstorm played out on social media, a quieter but significant story was unfolding half a world away – in Kerala, a state with roots deep in mathematics. Centuries ago, scholars such as Sangamagrama Madhava and Nilakantha Somayaji redefined trigonometry and infinite series at their school of mathematics in Irinjalakuda, paving the way for ideas that would later echo through global science.
Today, that same region is once again linked to the frontier of computation – this time through quantum technology. More on that later.
Pichai’s tweet described Willow as a leap forward. The chip, he said, solved a standard computation in under five minutes – a task that would take a top supercomputer more than 10^25 years, “far beyond the age of the universe.” At the heart of the advance lies a new algorithm, Quantum Echoes, said to run 13,000 times faster than one of the world’s most powerful supercomputers.
But experts are cautious. Quantum computing’s so-called “holy grail” – fault-tolerant, general-purpose quantum computation – remains undiscovered. As researchers often note, each breakthrough, however impressive, still faces challenges of scalability, stability, and cost. Even so, every advance adds another layer to the growing architecture of the quantum future.
Quantum Mission: For India, that future has become a strategic imperative. The country’s National Quantum Mission, backed by an outlay of 6,000 crore rupees, aims to ensure India is not left behind in what could be the next great technological revolution. The mission seeks to accelerate research in quantum computing, communication, and sensing, and to establish four thematic hubs across the nation.
Among the institutions involved are the Trivandrum-based Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), and C-DAC.
This is where Kerala re-enters the quantum picture – not just as an ancient seat of mathematics, but as an emerging node in India’s quantum ecosystem. Building on this legacy, a new collaboration has brought the global quantum frontier closer to the state.
Super Hub: Canada-based SuperQ Quantum Computing, a leader in quantum and supercomputing, has signed a strategic memorandum with St Joseph’s Autonomous College, Irinjalakuda, to establish India’s first Super Hub on its campus. The facility will give students, researchers, and industry partners cloud-based access to SuperQ’s platform, enabling them to model real-world problems and build hybrid quantum workflows.
The collaboration took shape at Quantum India Bengaluru (QIB) 2025, where Manoj Joseph, Chief Business Officer of SuperQ, met Dr Mathew Chandrankunnel, the renowned quantum physicist. “Seeing India’s National Quantum Mission in action and the enthusiasm among Kerala’s researchers was truly inspiring,” Joseph said. “We sensed a strong drive to connect academia and industry in advancing quantum computing – a vision that aligns perfectly with SuperQ’s goal of democratising access to these technologies.”
SuperQ’s Indian implementation partner, Aarnova Intelligence, will provide on-ground support to ensure the hub’s seamless rollout and adoption across academia and industry. The agreement, signed by representatives of all three organisations, marks a national first – linking Kerala’s academic heritage with the forefront of global quantum innovation.
Deep Roots: “Kerala and Irinjalakuda have a rich history in mathematics and physics,” said Dr Muhammad Ali Khan, CEO and Board Chair of SuperQ Quantum, who attended the signing virtually. “As a computer scientist and mathematician, I see Irinjalakuda as a fitting home for India’s first Super Hub.”
Professor Chandrankunnel echoed that sentiment, describing the moment as “historic” and tracing its lineage back to the mathematical tradition of Madhava and Nilakantha. “The establishment of this quantum Super Hub continues the line of mathematical developments initiated in Irinjalakuda from the 13th century onwards,” he said.
SuperQ describes its Super platform as “the ChatGPT moment of quantum computing,” claiming it can make the most advanced computational power intuitive and accessible to users without deep expertise in physics or computer science. The company is headquartered in Canada, with growing operations across the US, the Middle East, and Asia, and is strategically establishing Super Hubs in key regions.
Historical Leap: If Google’s Willow chip represents a leap at the level of physics and algorithms, the SuperQ-St Joseph’s initiative signals a social and educational leap – making quantum computing accessible at the grassroots of academia.
And while the ultimate quantum computer may still be some distance away, Kerala’s re-entry into this global race – from Madhava’s trigonometric insights in the 14th century to today’s quantum classrooms – shows that some journeys in science move not only forward in time, but also back to where it all began.
It may not yet be the “quantum leap” the world is waiting for, but it’s a powerful echo of one.
Indian buyers eye Chinese robots
The second session of the Canton Fair, the annual event showcasing China’s manufacturing prowess, is under way and it’s interesting to note that Indian customers are exploring robotic inventions on display there. South China Morning Post quotes a visitor, Pradeep Kumar Sonkar, who was keen to buy health tech products and was negotiating with a robot maker whose desk-lamp-sized device measures blood pressure, heart rate and electrical activity in the heart, while also offering video consultations. Like electronic components and electric vehicles, robotics is another sector where China hopes to lock in the market.
Unitree, the Chinese company at the forefront of humanoid development, has once again grabbed internet attention with its latest model, the H2. Standing 180 cm tall and weighing 70 kg, the H2 is shown in videos performing coordinated dance and martial arts routines, highlighting major improvements in agility and stability. The robot builds on the success of its predecessor, the H1, which made headlines during China’s 2024 Spring Festival Gala for its remarkable sprinting abilities.
AI use in Kerala largely student-driven
A study published in Discover Education (Springer Nature, 2025) finds that artificial intelligence tools have become deeply embedded in Kerala’s university ecosystem. Surveying 421 postgraduate students and research scholars across science, social science and technology disciplines, the researchers found that 95 percent were aware of AI tools and over 90 percent actively used them. The study, led by SN Archana from the School of Management Studies, Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat), notes that Kerala’s adoption of AI in education has been largely student-driven – fuelled by curiosity and digital connectivity rather than formal university policies. The researchers call for structured AI literacy programmes and institutional frameworks to promote responsible use.
Chara EV motors to detour China
Chara Technologies is an Indian startup that has developed the country's first electric vehicle (EV) motors without using heavy rare earth metals. The innovation aims to reduce dependence on imported materials and strengthen self-reliance in the electric mobility sector. The Bengaluru-based deeptech startup recently raised 52 crore rupees in a Series A funding round and plans to expand its production capacity from 20,000 to 100,000 units a year. With China’s dominance over the global supply chain causing price volatility and bottlenecks, Chara hopes create a new path for auto makers.
Latest in organic is books
As AI-generated novels flood the internet, a UK startup is fighting back with an “Organic Literature” stamp – the book-world equivalent of a farm-fresh label. Books By People, founded by a rare-books specialist, will certify titles written entirely by humans (with only a dash of AI for formatting). The first certified work is Telenovela by Gonzalo C Garcia, set in Chile under Pinochet. With Amazon swamped by AI knock-offs and Spotify binning 75 million spam tracks, human creativity now comes with proof of origin. After all, even algorithms were coded by humans – once upon a time.
