RITHIK RAI
Education
Jul 2022 – Aug 2024 | Kochi, India

CGPA: 8.19 / 10

Jun 2018 – Apr 2021 | Mumbai, India

University of Mumbai

CGPA: 9.43 / 10

Research Experience
Quantum Computing Researcher⁠, Fundacja Quantum AI
Jul 2025 – present | Remote

Title: Quantum approaches to Vehicle Routing Problems (Open-source Research Collaboration)

Supervisor: Dr. Paweł Gora, Founder & CEO, Fundacja Quantum AI; Chairperson of the Board, QWorld

  • •Formulated QUBO models and implemented Full Qubo Solver (FQS) and Average Partitioning Solver (APS); validated solutions using classical simulated annealing and quantum simulated annealing.
  • •Built a graph-coarsening pipeline to scale VRP instances (supernode creation → solve → uncoarsen), improving solver runtime on large instances.
  • •Currently working on Spatial Graph Theory to coarsen the graph data.
  • •Tools: Python, D-Wave Ocean SDK, QUBO modelling, simulated annealing; repository: github.com/Mr-Jamatia/Quantum-Vehicle-Routing-Problems⁠
    • Jan 2024 – May 2024 | Remote

    Title: A Review on Gravitational Waves and Quasinormal Modes

    Supervisor: Dr. Sayan Chakrabarti, Associate Professor, IIT Guwahati

    In this thesis, I analysed gravitational wave propagation in flat and curved spacetimes and explored various methods for computing Quasinormal Mode (QNM) frequencies.

    Projects

    Womanium-Wiser Quantum Program 2025

    This project is about the implementation of the Galton Board using Quantum circuits.

  • •Classical Approach: Simulated the Galton board to show that a Gaussian distribution naturally emerges even without carrying out the physical experiment. Demonstrated that alternative distributions (such as exponential) can be generated by modifying the probability of the ball moving left or right when hitting the pegs.
  • •Quantum Approach: In the classical simulation, the ancilla qubit (which determines the probability) was reset after each level, resulting in the Gaussian distribution. In the quantum implementation, the ancilla qubit is not reset, allowing all qubits to remain in superposition. This leads to interference effects, producing a distribution with peaks at the ends and a valley in the middle.

    • Womanium Global Quantum + AI program 2024

    In this project, we optimised battery temperature in lithium-ion EV batteries using quantum annealing, focused on maintaining State of Charge (SoC) and improving State of Health (SoH) to extend the battery life and enhance the EV performance. For this, we processed NASA battery datasets, formulated the optimisation problem as a QUBO model, and implemented solutions on D-Wave’s quantum annealer to minimise temperature.

    Quantum Chess - QChess
    Jan 2026 – Present

    Co-developing a quantum-mechanics-inspired variant of chess, drawing on the mathematical framework and move operators proposed in arXiv:1906.05836 (Cantwell, 2019)⁠.

    Skills

    Programming Languages: Python

    Libraries & Frameworks: Numpy, Matplotlib, Pandas, Qiskit, Pennylane, Ocean SDK, Classiq

    Achievements

    Scored 92/100 in the C‑DAC Qniverse Developer Certification Exam, which assesses practical quantum circuit and algorithm skills similar to those tested in the IBM Qiskit Developer Certification.

    Rank-1091 (Secured position in top 9% of students all over India)

    A GRE physics-type exam to select students in India for Master's and integrated PhD positions in the prestigious Indian Institue of Technology (IITs), written by around 12000 candidates in 2022

    Courses
    (Selected) Courses in MSc Physics
    Jul 2022 – May 2024 | CUSAT, Kochi

    Quantum Mechanics I, Quantum Mechanics II, Electrodynamics, Statistical Mechanics, Mathematical Physics, Quantum Computation & Information, Nuclear & Particle Physics, Deep Learning

    Jul 2020 – Jul 2020 | Coursera, Online

    University of Michigan

    Physics Schools/Training Programs/Workshops
    Jul 2025 – Jul 2025 | Online
  • •Completed IBM Qiskit Global Summer School 2025 (Advanced): hands-on training in Qiskit: circuit design, Aer simulation, IBM backend execution, noise modelling, and error mitigation.
    • Jun 2025 – Aug 2025 | Zoom, Online
  • •QBronze (QWorld)⁠: Explored core quantum concepts—single-qubit operations, entanglement, Grover’s algorithm, quantum protocols—using Qiskit.
  • •QNickel (QWorld)⁠: Applied oracular quantum algorithms (Deutsch, Deutsch-Jozsa, Bernstein-Vazirani, Simon’s), Grover’s algorithm, and Max-Cut problem solving in Qiskit.
  • •QCobalt (QWorld)⁠: Modeled combinatorial optimization problems using QUBO and Ising formulations; executed quantum annealing on D-Wave via Ocean SDK.
  • •PennyLane ML (Xanadu)⁠: Built hybrid quantum-classical machine learning models; utilized parameter-shift optimization; integrated QNodes with TensorFlow and PyTorch on simulators and real quantum hardware.
  • •Classiq⁠: Designed hardware-aware quantum circuits using Classiq’s Qmod language; auto-generated optimized circuits via its synthesis engine; simulated circuits on various virtual quantum platforms.
  • •Artificial Intelligence (AI)⁠: Learnt about AI for Climate, Materials Discovery, Quantum and HPCs, and Atmospheric Science
  • •Quantum Hardware⁠: Learn about Superconducting, Silicon-based, Photonic, Neutral-atom, Trapped-Ion Quantum Computing and about Quantum Annealing.
    • Extra Curricular Activities
    Dec 2025 – Present | Remote

    Delivered online lectures on quantum computing topics to students during QWorld workshops via Zoom.

    Quantum Computing Assistant⁠, Womanium & Wiser Quantum Program 2025
    Jun 2025 – Aug 2025 | Remote

    Got recognised as one of the best assistants of the program. My tasks involved helping students with the Qiskit installation, running algorithms, troubleshooting code problems, providing hints for correct answers in assignments, and answering questions related to projects. I also served as a mentor in the same program from July to August 2024.

    Presentation/Teamwork/Discussions/Teaching
    Feb 2023 – Feb 2023 | CUSAT, Kochi

    -Conducted Career Guidance, under the guidance of Dr. Anoop KK, for College students in SASHTRAYAAN at CUSAT

    -Co-hosted a farewell event for my MSc Physics senior's batch and contributed to the effective organization of the occasion

    -Presented Experiments in Exhibitions in SASHTRAYAAN at CUSAT

    Referees

    Position: Founder & CEO, Fundacja Quantum AI; Chairperson of the Board, QWorld

    Relationship: Research Supervisor

    Position: Assistant Professor at CUSAT

    Relationship: Course Instructor (Quantum Computation & Information)