Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology

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Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology
Awarded forResearch in science in India
Location Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi
Presented by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
Government of India
First awarded1958
Last awarded2023
Website Bhatnagar Prize website

The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology (SSB) was a science award in India given annually by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for notable and outstanding research, applied or fundamental, in biology, chemistry, environmental science, engineering, mathematics, medicine, and physics. The prize recognized outstanding Indian work (according to the view of CSIR awarding committee) in science and technology. It was the highest [1] , most prestigious and coveted prize given in the area of multidisciplinary science in India. [2] [3] The award was named after the founder Director of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar. [4] It was first awarded in 1958.

Contents

Beginning 2024 , Govt of India replaced the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology with a new type under the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar called Vigyan Yuva - Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar award which although significant, is not the highest one in the heirarchy of the newly initiated national science awards. This new Avatar of the award is much downgraded as it got stripped of the prize money, lifetime monthly fellowship payouts and the legendary trophy presented by the Prime Minister. [5]

Any citizen of India engaged in research in any field of science and technology up to the age of 45 years was eligible for the prize. The prize was awarded on the basis of contributions made through work done in India only during the five years preceding the year of the prize. The prize comprised a citation, a plaque, and a cash award of 5 lakh (US$6,000). [6] In addition, recipients also received ₹15,000 per month up to the age of 65 years.

Nomination and selection

Names of candidates were proposed by a member of the governing body of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Vice-Chancellors of universities or institutes of national importance, and deans of different faculties of science and former awardees. Selection was made by the Advisory Committee constituted each year and necessarily consists of at least six experts including at least one former Bhatnagar Awardee in the respective discipline. At least 2/3 agreement of the members was required for selection. If two nominees were unanimously recommended in the same field because of equal merit, both are awarded. [6]

Prizes

The prize was divided into seven disciplines, namely:

Each discipline could have multiple winners (maximum 2 individuals). [7] Up until 2007, the prize money was 2 lakh (US$2,400) and was raised to 5 lakh (US$6,000) in 2008. [8]

Recipients

Presentation

The names of the recipients were traditionally declared by the Director General on every 26 September, which is the CSIR Foundation Day. [9] The prize was distributed by the Prime Minister of India. The awardee was bound to give a lecture in the area of the award, generally outside his/her city of work. [6]

See also

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References

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  4. "From the awarding body Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)". Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2008.
  5. "Govt junks the cash prize for Bhatnagar awardees, announces new science awards".
  6. 1 2 3 CSIR. "Regulations Governing the Award of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize For Science and Technology". csirhrdg.nic.in. Human Resource Development Group, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
  7. "11 scientists selected for Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize-2012". Business Standard. Business Standard Ltd. Press Trust of India. 26 September 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
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  9. "CSIR selects 10 scientists for prestigious Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar award". The Times of India. 26 September 2014.