Stellar Scientists: Honoring Excellence at the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar

President Droupadi Murmu presented the Vijyan Ratna Puraskar posthumously to astrophysicist Jayant Naralikar. The Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar honored 24 scientists across various fields for their contributions to science and technology. Notable awards included contributions to agriculture, atomic energy, and space science, showcasing India's scientific advancements.

In a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhawan, President Droupadi Murmu posthumously awarded the Vijyan Ratna Puraskar to the late astrophysicist Jayant Naralikar for his significant contributions to cosmology and science popularization. Receiving the award on his behalf was R Srianand, Director of the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics.

The prestigious Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar saw 24 scientists being honored for their remarkable contributions to diverse fields of science and technology. These accolades, covering areas such as Agricultural Science and Atomic Energy, included the Vigyan Ratna, Vigyan Shri, Vigyan Yuva, and Vigyan Team categories. Key honorees included noted agriculture expert Gyanendra Pratap Singh and Yusuf Mohammad Seikh for his work in Atomic Energy.

Among the notable recipients were Pradeep Thalappil in Chemistry and Mahan Maharaj in Mathematics and Computer Science. The ceremony underscored India's commitment to advancing scientific research and technology-led innovation, highlighting achievements in various sectors like Engineering Sciences and Environmental Science by distinguished professionals like Aniruddha Bhalchandra Pandit and S Venkata Mohan.

(With inputs from agencies.)