• The government announced 33 Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskars, which include 18 Vigyan Yuva Puraskars for young scientists and 13 Vigyan Shri Puraskars and a Vigyan Team award that went to Team Chandrayaan-3.

• Biochemist Govindarajan Padmanabhan has been selected for first Vigyan Ratna Puraskar, the top most science award instituted by the government this year.

• President Droupadi Murmu is expected to confer the awards on August 23, the National Space Day, to mark the landing of Chandrayaan-3 near the South Pole of the Moon. 

Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar

• Earlier this year, the government instituted the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar recognising outstanding and inspiring scientific, technological and innovation contributions of researchers, technologists and innovators in the field of science, technology and innovation.

• The awards will be given every year and replace the 300-odd awards that were given by various science departments.

• The objective of Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar is to recognise the notable and inspiring contribution made by the scientists, technologists and innovators individually or in teams in various fields of science, technology and technology-led innovation. 

• It is one of the highest recognitions in the field of science, technology and innovation in India. 

• Scientists/technologists/innovators working in government, private sector organisations or individuals working outside any organisation, who have made distinguished contributions in terms of path-breaking research or innovation or discovery in any fields of science, technology or technology-led innovation are eligible for the awards. 

• People of Indian Origin staying abroad with exceptional contributions benefiting the Indian communities or society shall also be eligible for the awards.

The awards are given in four categories

i) Vigyan Ratna award to recognise lifetime achievements and contributions made in any field of science and technology.

ii) Vigyan Shri award to recognise distinguished contributions in any field of science and technology.

iii) Vigyan Yuva-Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar award to recognise and encourage young scientists who made an exceptional contribution in any field of science and technology.

iv) Vigyan Team award to a team comprising three or more scientists/researchers/innovators who have made an exceptional contribution working in a team in any field of science and technology.

• The awardees shall be presented a certificate signed by the President and a medallion.

Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar are given in 13 domains:

• Physics

• Chemistry

• Biological Sciences

• Mathematics & Computer Science

• Earth Science

• Medicine

• Engineering Sciences

• Agricultural Science

• Environmental Science

• Technology & Innovation

• Atomic Energy

• Space Science and Technology

• Others.

This year’s Vigyan Shri awardees are:

• Dr. Anandharamakrishnan.C (Agricultural Science)

• Avesh Kumar Tyagi (Atomic Energy)

• Umesh Varshney (Biological Sciences)

• Jayant Bhalchandra Udgaonkar (Biological Sciences)

• Syed Wajih Ahmad Naqvi (Earth Sciences)

• Bhim Singh (Engineering Sciences)

• Adimurthi Adi (Mathematics and Computer Science)

• Rahul Mukherjee (Mathematics and Computer Science)

• Dr. Sanjay Behari (Medicine)

• Lakshmanan Muthusamy (Physics)

• Naba Kumar Mondal (Physics)

• Dr. Annapurni Subramaniam (Space Science and Technology)

• Rohit Srivastava (Technology and Innovation).

This year’s Vigyan Yuva awardees are:

• Dr. Krishna Murthy S.L (Agricultural Science)

• Dr. Swarup Kumar Parida (Agricultural Science)

• Radhakrishnan Mahalakshmi (Biological Sciences)

• Aravind Penmatsa (Biological Sciences)

• Vivek Polshettiwar (Chemistry)

• Vishal Rai (Chemistry)

• Dr. Roxy Mathew Koll (Earth Sciences)

• Dr. Abhilash (Engineering Sciences)

• Dr. Radha Krishna Ganti (Engineering Sciences)

• Dr. Purabi Saikia (Environmental Science)

• Dr. Bappi Paul (Environmental Science)

• Mahesh Ramesh Kakde (Mathematics and Computer Science)

• Jitendra Kumar Sahu (Medicine)

• Pragya Dhruv Yadav (Medicine)

• Urbasi Sinha (Physics)

• Dr. Digendranath Swain Space (Space Science and Technology)

• Prashant Kumar (Space Science and Technology)

• Prabhu Rajagopal (Technology and Innovation).

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