NEW DELHI: In the first edition of the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar, 33 awards were presented to distinguished scientists in four categories—Vigyan Ratna, Vigyan Shri, Vigyan Yuva, and Vigyan Team—by President of India Droupadi Murmu on Thursday at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The Vigyan Ratna Award was bestowed upon scientists who have made lifetime contributions to any field of Science and Technology.
Prof. Govindarajan Padmanabhan, a pioneer in molecular biology and biotechnology research in India, is the recipient of this award this year.
The Vigyan Shri Awards, given to scientists with distinguished contributions to Science and Technology, were presented to 13 scientists for their path-breaking research in their respective domains.
According to an official statement, the Vigyan Yuva-SSB Award, which recognizes scientists who have made exceptional contributions to any field of science and technology, was given to 18 scientists for their significant contributions in areas ranging from the study of Indian Ocean warming and its consequences to the development of indigenous 5G base stations and communication and precision tests of quantum mechanics.
Similarly, the Vigyan Team Award, given to a team of three or more scientists for making groundbreaking research contributions in any field of science and technology, was awarded to the Chandrayaan-3 team for the successful landing of the Chandrayaan-3 lander near the south pole of the moon.
The Minister of Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, thanked President Smt. Draupadi Murmu for dedicating her valuable time to present the first edition of the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar-2024.
Singh stated that the awards aim to recognize India’s scientific talent and the extraordinary achievements of Indian scientists in Science, Technology, and Innovation.