Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prizes 2004 and 2005 Presented Create Exciting Carrier Opportunities for Scientists-PM

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh said that the Government would try to retain the country's talent at home by creating exciting career opportunities for scientists. The Prime Minister said that 21st century is going to be a 'knowledge century' then it is not military power, nor economic power, but 'brain power' that will determine our place in the comity of nations. He spoke while giving away the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prizes for 2004 and 2005 to 21 scientists here today. He also presented the CSIR Diamond Jubilee Technology Award for 2004 to Midas Communications Technologies Pvt. Ltd. Prime Minister also released the 'India Science Report' relating to science and technology status report of the country.

Referring to the Report, the Prime Minister expressed his concern on the shortage of good, highly, motivated science teachers at higher level. He asked the HRD Ministry and the State Governments to take due note of this and take necessary remedial action. The Prime Minister also pointed out the regional imbalance in terms of education institutions in different States. He hoped that the Government at the Centre and the States will take note of findings of India Science Report and evolve a policy to remedy these regional imbalances.

Mentioning the initiatives taken by the Government, the Prime Minister said that the Ministry of Human Resource Development has already set up a task force on rejuvenation of scientific research in universities and the target of doubling the number of PhDs coming out of India within the next five to six years.

Appreciating the awardees, Shri Kapil Sibal, Minister for Science and Technology and Ocean Development said that the Government has taken several initiatives to inculcate scientific temper in the younger generation. Mentioning 21 Bhatnagar Awardees as 'super stars', Shri Sibal assured the scientists that 'you will get the very best we can give you to compete with the best in the world. Indeed the very best must be retained in India and return to India'.

Expressing his gratitude for Prime Minister releasing the India Science Report, the Minister said that it is truly revealing of the state of science and technology in the country-it will help quell the many myths that are spread about Indian science and technology.

Appreciating the role of CSIR for recognizing the best in Indian science and technology for decades now, Shri Sibal said 'we need to publicise these heros on the national stage. This will inspire, motivate and attract some of our brightest youngsters to science'.

The recipients of Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prizes 2004 are : Dr. Gopal Chandra Kundu, National Centre for Cell Science, Pune and Dr. Ramesh Venkata Sonti, Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology, Hyderabad for Biological Sciences; Dr. Vinod Kumar Singh, Indian Institute for Technology, Kanpur and Dr. Siva Umpathy, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore for Chemical Sciences; Dr. Subhasis Chaudhuri, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay Powai, Mumbai and Dr. Vivek Vinayak Ranade, National Chemical Laboratory, Pune for Engineering Sciences; Dr. Anup Bose, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata and Dr. Sujatha Ramdorai, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai for Mathematical Sciences; Dr. Chetan Eknath Chitnis, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi for Medical Sciences; Dr. Madan Rao, Raman Research Institute for Physical Sciences.

The recipients of Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prizes 2005 are : Dr. Tapas K Kundu, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore and Dr. Shekhar C Mande, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Hyderabad for Biological Sciences; Dr. Samaresh Bhattacharya, Jadavpur University, Kolkata and Dr. S. Ramakrishnan, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore for Chemical Sciences; Dr. Nibir Mandal, Jadavpur University, Kolkata for Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean & Planetary Sciences; Dr. Kalyanmoy Deb, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur and Dr. V. Ramgopal Rao, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay Powoi, Mumbai for Engineering Sciences; Dr. Probal Chaudhuri, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata and Dr. Kapil Hari Paranjape, CIT Campus, Chennai for Mathematical Sciences; Dr. Javed N. Agrewala, Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh for Medical Sciences; and Dr. Sandip P Trivedi, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai for Physical Sciences.

Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh also gave away CSIR Diamond Jubilee Technology Award -2004 to the Midas Communications Technology Private Ltd. for design, development and commercialization of corDECT WLL (Wireless in Local Loop) access system and optima, a Fiber-in-Local Loop (FLL) access system. Midas Communication developed these products in collaboration with TeNet (Telecommunication and Computer Network), IIT, Madras. Shri Shirish Purohit received the award on behalf of Midas Communications Ltd.

Source : Ministry of Science & Technology
Date : September 28, 2005