THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has announced winners of the prestigious Kairali Research Awards 2022-23 in four categories.
The Higher Education Minster R Bindu made the announcement here on Thursday in the presence of Rajan Gurukkal, vice-chairman, Kerala State Higher Education Council and Rajan Varughese, the council’s member secretary,
Prof Channath Achuthan Unni (arts and humanities), Prof P P Divakaran (science) and Prof K P Mohanan (social science) have been chosen for the topmost honour ‘Kairali Global Lifetime Achievement Prize for Researchers’. The award for lifelong contributions to research by Keralite researchers, carries a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh each and a citation.
Prof Achuthanunni is a polyglot, Malayalam language writer and translator. While Prof P P Divakaran is an eminent scientist specialising in theoretical physics. Prof K P Mohanan is an eminent interdisciplinary scholar specialising in cognitive science.
The winners of the ‘Kairali Lifetime Achievement Prize for Researchers’ are Prof B Rajeevan, an eminent writer, literary critic and teacher (arts and humanities), Prof K L Sebastian, a leading theoretical chemist (science) and Prof Kesavan Veluthat, a renowned historian, epigraphist and scholar in Sanskrit, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam (social science). The award comprises a cash prize of Rs 2.5 lakh each and a citation.
The winners of the ‘Kairali Gaveshaka Puraskaram’ given to post doctoral researchers in interdisciplinary domains, with financial support of up to `5 lakh are: Sameera Shamsudheen of Cusat (Biological Science) and Sujesh AS of Sri C Achutha Menon Govt. College, Thrissur (Physical Science).
The winners of the ‘Kairali Gaveshana Puraskaram’ for researchers among regular faculty in the state, to undertake projects with financial support of up to Rs 25 lakh are: Rakesh R, Mar Ivanios College, Thriuvananthapuram (arts & humanities), T S Preetha, University College, Thriuvananthapuram (biological science), Anas S, MG University (chemical science), Subodh G, University of Kerala (physical science) and Sangeetha K Prathap, Cusat (social science).
Members of the selection committee for the Kairali Research Awards 2022-23 were: Prof P Balaram, former director, Indian Institute of Sciences, Bengaluru (chairman, selection committee), Prof Prabhath Patnaik, former professor, Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, School of Social Sciences at JNU, Prof ED Jemmis, Professor of Theoretical Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru and Prof. Satchidanandan, President, Kerala Sahitya Akademi, Thrissur.