National Awards for Science Communication Announced

The Rashtriya Vigyan Evam Prodyogiki Sanchar Parishad (National Council for Science & Technology Communication), Dept. of Science and Technology, Government of India announces its annual national awards for science and technology communication for outstanding work done in the past 5 years.

• National Award of Rupees 2,00,000/- for Outstanding Efforts in Science Communication has been given to Dr. V.A. Elavalagan, Chennai who has consistently written dramas, columns in newspapers, articles in popular magazines, popular talks and field programmes which have enhanced public awareness and increased understanding of science.
  A similar award has been given to a non government organization Swadeshi Science Movement, Kochi which has relentlessly worked for communicating science by organizing congresses, workshops, competitions, publishing popular magazines thus promoting scientific attitude amongst people.
• National Award of Rupees 1,00,000/- for Outstanding Efforts in Science Communication through Books and Magazines has been given to Smt. Rekha Aggarwal, New Delhi for yeoman service rendered to the cause of popularization of science amongst masses through books, science columns in newspapers, popular talks on radio and television on diverse subjects in science.
• National Award of Rupees 1,00,000/- for Outstanding Efforts in Science Popularization among Children has been given to Dr. Madhu Pant, New Delhi who has dedicated her life for popularizing science through stories, poems, riddles, games, posters on issues of science and environment in a lucid manner.
  A similar award has been given to Shri Kuldeep Sharma, New Delhi who has written over 30 books, 50 science stories and nearly 2000 articles in leading newspapers and magazines to explain complex scientific concepts and phenomena to children.
• National Award of Rupees 1,00,000/- for Outstanding Efforts in Science and Technology Communication in Print Medium has been given to Shri S. Ananthanarayanan, Mumbai who has written more than 400 articles in newspapers to explain science involved in common devices while retaining the attention and interest of his wide reader base.
  A similar award has been given to Shri Dinesh C. Sharma, New Delhi who has relentlessly worked for communicating science through radio and television as well as small newspapers in regional languages for over two decades.
• National Award of Rupees. 1,00,000/- for Outstanding Efforts in Science and Technology Communication through Electronic Medium has been given to Shri Niret Alva,Gurgaon who is a globally acclaimed award winning film maker and uses the electronic medium powerfully to convey the traditional science and current developments in the country.
  A similar award has been given to Shri H.B. Muralidhara & Smt. Seema Muralidhara, Mumbai who have developed a series of video programmes in an entertaining format to increase awareness on issues of health and environment targeted at women as well as science concepts to middle school students.

Shri Kapil Sibal, Hon’ble Union Minister, Science & Technology and Earth Sciences will felicitate the winners at a function being organized in connection with National Science Day in New Delhi on March 01, 2007. Along with each award, a memento and a citation would be presented.

Dr. R. Chidambaram, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Govt. of India will deliver this year’s National Science Day Lecture.

Dr. T. Ramasami, Secretary, Dept. of Science & Technology, Govt. of India will preside over the function.

A Science Exhibition would also be organized on this occasion at Technology Bhavan, New Delhi.

Shri Anuj Sinha, Adviser & Head of the Rashtriya Vigyan Evam Prodyogiki Sanchar Parishad told that various science communication activities, such as science exhibitions, quiz competitions, health awareness and science activity camps are being organized in various parts of the country to mark the National Science Day and thereby enhancing the level of public understanding of science and technology. A number of science communication software materials have been developed for different target audiences ranging from children and woman to villagers and common man.

These awards were instituted in 1987 by the government with a view to encouraging and recognizing the efforts in the area of science and technology communication and were first announced on National Science Day in 1988. No award is being given for the category of science translation in Indian languages this year.

This year, the Parishad is celebrating its Silver Jubilee and a year-long programmes and activities have been envisaged to mark the occasion and have deeper outreach of science and technology into the society.

Source : Press Information Bureau
Date : February 28, 2007