In a grand ceremony held at the Gantantra Mandap in Rashtrapati Bhavan today, President Droupadi Murmu presented the prestigious Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2024. This year’s awards recognize outstanding achievements in science and technology across four categories: Vigyan Ratna, Vigyan Shri, Vigyan Yuva, and Vigyan Team.
Lifetime Achievement Award
The coveted Vigyan Ratna Award was bestowed upon Prof. Govindarajan Padmanabhan, a pioneer in molecular biology and biotechnology research in India. As an Honorary Scientist at NASI and a Professor at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Prof. Padmanabhan has made seminal contributions, including the elucidation of the heme-bio synthetic pathway of Plasmodium, the malaria-causing parasite. He has also played a crucial role in the establishment of the Biotechnology Industry Assistance Council in New Delhi, which supports over 1,800 incubatees and has facilitated the development of more than 800 biotechnology products.
Distinguished Contributions
The Vigyan Shri Awards were presented to 13 eminent scientists for their outstanding research in their respective fields. Notable recipients include:
Dr. Anandharamakrishnan, Director, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram.
Dr. Avesh Kumar Tyagi, Distinguished Scientist and Director, Chemistry Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai.
Prof. Umesh Varshney, Honorary Professor, Department of Microbiology & Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.
Emerging Scientists
The Vigyan Yuva-SSB Award honored 18 young scientists for their exceptional contributions to science and technology. Their research spans a range of topics, from the study of the warming of the Indian Ocean to the development of indigenous 5G technology and quantum mechanics precision tests.
Team Achievement
The Vigyan Team Award was given to the team behind Chandrayaan-3, recognized for their groundbreaking achievement in landing the Chandrayaan-3 lander near the south pole of the Moon. This remarkable feat underscores India’s growing prowess in space exploration.
Significance of the Awards
Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of Science & Technology, emphasized the importance of these awards in acknowledging India’s scientific talent and the remarkable accomplishments of Indian scientists. “The Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar serves as a testament to the extraordinary achievements in science, technology, and innovation made by our brilliant scientists,” he said.
Other Notable Recipients
In addition to the main award categories, several other distinguished scientists were recognized for their contributions:
Prof. Jayant Bhalchandra Udgaonkar, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune.
Prof. Syed Wajih Ahmad Naqvi, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow.
Dr. Annapurni Subramaniam, Director, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru.
Dr. Pragya Dhruv Yadav, Scientist ‘F’ & Head, ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune.
The Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2024 highlights the remarkable achievements of India’s scientific community and reinforces the country’s commitment to advancing science and technology.
