After a year’s hold-up, Centre announces top national science prize for young talent

The awards are given every year in seven scientific disciplines — biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, medicine, engineering and earth, atmosphere, ocean and planetary sciences

Traditionally, the Bhatnagar Prizes are announced on September 26, the foundation day of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, the organisation that gives away these awards. (Express File Photo)

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A year after it was surprisingly held back, the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Awards for 2022 were declared on Monday, with 12 young scientists being selected for India’s top science prize.

The announcement was also a surprise, having come at the launch event of ‘One Week One Lab’ programme of CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR). Traditionally, the Bhatnagar Prizes are announced on September 26, the foundation day of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the organisation that gives away these awards.

N Kalaiselvi, director general, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), announced the names of the 12 recipients, all male scientists, in the presence of Dr. Jitendra Singh, Vice President, CSIR in New Delhi.

Bhatnagar Prizes, named after Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar, the first director general of CSIR, are given every year in seven scientific disciplines — biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, medicine, engineering and earth, atmosphere, ocean and planetary sciences — to outstanding researchers under the age of 45. The award carries a cash component of Rs 5 lakh.

But, in 2022, for the first time, India’s coveted annual prize was not announced.

“Even though it is not conventional, the announcement of SSB 2022 is historically important, wherein not only CSIR, but the minister’s office (Dr. Singh) played a very very great and critical role. The timely support from the minister, his office, secretaries and all well-wishers. It is my responsibility to thank each and every one in the country to help CSIR to get these results announced today,” said Kalaiselvi.

The list of awardees include SSB awards 2022 are:

Biology

Ashwani Kumar, CSIR – Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh (Biology)

M Maddika Subba Reddy, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Hyderabad

Chemistry

Akkattu Biju, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru

Debabrta Maiti, IIT Bombay

Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences

Vimal Mishra, IIT Gandhinagar

Engineering

Dipti Ranjan Sahoo, IIT Delhi

Rajnish Kumar, IIT Madras