In a significant move to recognize and honor outstanding contributions to science, technology, and innovation, the Indian government has announced the inaugural Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskars. This new award system, replacing over 300 previous awards from various science departments, aims to celebrate the achievements of academics, technologists, and inventors across the country.
The Vigyan Ratna Puraskar: Honoring a Lifetime of Achievement
Dr. Govindarajan Padmanabhan: The First Recipient
The highest honor, the Vigyan Ratna Puraskar, has been awarded to Dr. Govindarajan Padmanabhan, a celebrated biochemist and former director of the Indian Institute of Science-Bengaluru. Dr. Padmanabhan, also a Padma Bhushan laureate, receives this lifetime achievement award in recognition of his significant contributions to the field of biochemistry.
Categories and Recipients
The government announced a total of 33 Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskars across various categories:
Vigyan Shri Awards
Thirteen scientists received the Vigyan Shri award for their distinguished contributions across different scientific domains.
Vigyan Yuva-Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Awards
Eighteen young scientists under the age of 45 were honored with the Vigyan Yuva-Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar awards, continuing the legacy of the prestigious Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar prize.
Vigyan Team Award
The Team Chandrayaan-3 was recognized with the Vigyan Team award for their exceptional contribution to India’s space program, particularly for the successful moon landing mission.
Award Ceremony and Significance
National Space Day Celebration
President Droupadi Murmu is expected to present these awards on August 23, designated as National Space Day to commemorate the landing of Chandrayaan-3 near the Moon’s South Pole.
Consolidation of Science Awards
This new award system represents a significant consolidation of India’s science honors. It replaces the previous system, which included the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar award, instituted in 1958 and named after the renowned chemist who was the first chairman of the University Grants Commission and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.
Impact on Scientific Community
The introduction of the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskars is expected to have a profound impact on the Indian scientific community:
- Unified Recognition: By consolidating various awards, it provides a unified platform for recognizing scientific excellence across disciplines.
- Encouraging Young Talent: The Vigyan Yuva awards continue to focus on young scientists, encouraging innovation and research among the next generation of Indian scientists.
- Promoting Team Efforts: The inclusion of a team award highlights the importance of collaborative research in modern scientific endeavors.
- National Prestige: These awards elevate the status of scientific achievements to a national level, potentially inspiring more Indians to pursue careers in science and technology.
Table of Recipients
| Award Category | Recipient(s) | Field |
|---|---|---|
| Vigyan Ratna Puraskar | Dr. Govindarajan Padmanabhan | Biochemistry |
| Vigyan Shri | Dr. Annapurini Subramanian | Astrophysics |
| Dr. Anandharamakrishnan C | Agriculture Science | |
| Dr. Avesh Kumar Tyagi | Atomic Energy | |
| Prof. Umesh Varshney, Prof. Jayant Bhalchandra Udgaonkar | Biological Sciences | |
| Prof. Syed Wajih Ahmad Naqvi | Earth Sciences | |
| Prof. Bhim Singh | Engineering Sciences | |
| Prof. Adimurthi Adi, Prof. Rahul Mukherjee | Mathematics and Computer Science | |
| Prof. Dr. Sanjay Behari | Medicine | |
| Prof. Lakshmanan Muthusamy, Prof. Naba Kumar Mondal | Physics | |
| Prof. Rohit Srivastava | Technology and Innovation | |
| Vigyan Yuva | Krishna Murthy SL, Swarup Kumar Parida | Agricultural Science |
| Radhakrishnan Mahalakshmi, Prof. Aravind Penmatsa | Biological Sciences | |
| Vivek Polshettiwar, Vishal Rai | Chemistry | |
| Roxy Mathew Koll | Earth Sciences | |
| Abhilash, Radha Krishna Ganti | Engineering Sciences | |
| Purabi Saikia, Bappi Paul | Environmental Science | |
| Mahesh Ramesh Kakde | Mathematics and Computer Science | |
| Jitendra Kumar Sahu, Pragya Dhruv Yadav | Medicine | |
| Urbasi Sinha | Physics | |
| Digendranath Swain, Prashant Kumar | Space Science and Technology | |
| Prabhu Rajagopal | Technology and Innovation | |
| Vigyan Team | Team Chandrayaan-3 | Space Science |