Vikram Sarabhai Awards conferred on four scientists

Ahmedabad: Four scientists were today conferred with the Dr Vikram Sarabhai Research awards for the year 2013, on the birth anniversary of the visionary scientist at Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) here.

Besides, two more scientists were given the PRL award. The four scientists to receive the Dr Vikram Sarabhai Research award are- Tarun Kumar Pant, Joji Chaman, Souvik Mahapatra, Ranjan Bose. Tarun Kumar Pant, a researcher at PRL was conferred with the award for his contributions towards understanding `Atmospheric coupling processes,in particular, the association of electrojet and counter with neutral atmospheric dynamics` in the Space Sciences category. In Space Application category, Joji Chaman, Entity chief of Mechanical Design and Production area, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) at Thiruvananthpuram, was given the award for his contribution in `Inertial navigation system for spacecrafts deployed for the terrestrial and planetary mission.` The award for Electronics, Informatics, Telematics and Automation category were jointly awarded to Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mumbai`s Souvik Mahapatra for his work in development of the `Negative Bias Temperature Instability Tolerant Complimentary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) devices, and to Ranjan Bose of IIT Delhi for contributing in the area of coding for secure communication. The PRL award was jointly given to N V Chalapathi Rao, faculty Geo-Science at Banaras Hindu University, for his work on the Indian kimberlites and mantle processes influencing their evolution. The other recipient J S Ray, received the award for his work on origin and evolution of Indian carbonatites and the Andaman subduction zone. The awards, carrying a medal and a cash prize of Rs 50,000 were presented by Chairman of Council of Management in PRL Professor U R Rao. The Dr Vikram Sarabhai Research Awards were instituted from funds provided by a religious trust `Hariom Ashram` in Nadiad town in Kheda, and the PRL award was funded by Aruna Lal Endowment Fund which was established by former director of PRL Devendra Lal.