The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, CSIR, has released the names of 14 scientists who have been awarded Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize 2020. Two Professors, one from IIT Kharagpur, Dr Abhijit Mukherjee and Dr Bushra Ateeq from IIT Kanpur are among the recipients of Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize.
Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (SSB) Prize is given each year for outstanding contributions to science and technology. SSB Prizes, each of the value of Rs 5 lakh, are awarded annually for notable and outstanding research, applied or fundamental, in the following disciplines:
- Biological Sciences
- Chemical Sciences,
- Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences
- Engineering Sciences,
- Mathematical Sciences,
- Medical Sciences
- Physical Sciences.
Others who have received awards include, Dr Shubhadeep Chatterjee from Centre for DNA fingerprinting and diagnostics, Dr Vatsala Thirumalai from National Centre for Biological Sciences, Dr Jyotirmayee Dash from Indian Association for the cultivation of science, Dr Suryendu Dutta from IIT Bombay, Dr Subi Jacob George from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific, Dr Kinshuk Dasgupta from Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Dr Ritesh Agarwal from PGIMER Chandigarh, Dr Amol Arvindrao Kulkarni, Dr Surajit Dhara from the University of Hyderabad.
Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank' took to Twitter and congratulated Dr Suryendu Dutta for winning the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology 2020 in Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean & Planetary Sciences.
Mr Pokhriyal said, “Congratulations to Dr Suryendu Dutta - Dept of Earth Sciences, for winning the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology 2020 in Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean & Planetary Sciences. Your innovation in the evolution of plant-derived terpenoids demonstrating how plant-derived organic matters are a major source of liquid hydrocarbons in many petroliferous basins of India is really commendable. I would like to see you get a Nobel Prize soon.”
Congratulations to Dr Suryendu Dutta - Dept of Earth Sciences, @iitbombay for winning the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for #Science & Technology 2020 in Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean & Planetary Sciences. pic.twitter.com/OaZ2KJjUTx
— Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank (@DrRPNishank) September 30, 2020
“Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar award recognises outstanding Indian work in science and technology. Any citizen of India engaged in research in any field of science and technology up to the age of 45 years as reckoned on December 31 of the year preceding the year of the Prize. An overseas citizen of India (OCI) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) working in India are also eligible,” as per the information given on the official website.
The SSB Prize is bestowed on a person “who has made conspicuously important and outstanding contributions to human knowledge and progress – fundamental and applied – in the particular field of endeavour, which is his/her specialization.
