Edu-leaders

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has awarded the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology to 11 scientists for this year.

The awardees included: Biological Sciences: Dr Amit Prakash Sharma, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi and Dr Rajan Sankaranarayanan, CSIR Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology, Hyderabad; Chemical Sciences: Dr Balasubramanian Sundaram, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore and Dr Garikapati Narahari Sastry, CSIR Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad; Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences: Dr Shanker Doraiswamy, CSIR National Institute of Oceanography, Goa; Engineering Sciences: Dr Sirshendu De, Indian Institute of Technology, Dharagpur and Dr Upadrasta Ramamurty, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore; Mathematical Sciences: Dr Mahan MJ, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University, Howrah and Dr Palash Sarkar, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata; Medical Sciences: Dr Kithiganahalli Narayanaswamy Balaji, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and Physical Sciences: Dr Shiraz Minwalla, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai.

The award was first given in 1958 and is the country’s highest award in science and technology. It is named after Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar, the Founder Director of CSIR. The award is given to a scientist up to 45 years of age and carries a prize amount of Rs 5 lakh.

The CSIR has given the award to 463 scientists, 14 of which were women, till 2010.

Other prizes like the CSIR Young Scientist Award, CSIR Technology Awards and CSIR Diamond Jubilee Invention Award for School Children were also given at the occasion.