The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu presented the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar-2024 at an award ceremony held at Gantantra Mandap, Rashtrapati Bhavan, on 22 August 2024. In the first edition of the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar, 33 awards were presented to distinguished scientists in four categories — Vigyan Ratna, Vigyan Shri, Vigyan Yuva, and Vigyan Team.

In a proud moment, three scientists from CSIR were also conferred the prestigious award, including Dr Anandharamakrishnan, Director, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram, Prof. Syed Wajih Ahmad Naqvi, National Science Chair, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI), Lucknow, and Dr Abhilash Senior Principal, CSIR-National Metallurgical Laboratory (CSIR-NML), Jamshedpur.

 Dr Anandharamakrishnan has significantly contributed to the field of food processing and has improved the understanding of innovative food processing technologies, nutrient delivery systems, 3-D food printing, food structure & digestion, and their applications towards achieving sustainable food systems

Prof. Syed Wajih Ahmad Naqvi is an outstanding Biogeochemical Oceanographer with national and international recognition. His pioneering research work had an enduring disruptive impact on the field of oceanography.

Dr Abhilash has contributed significantly to the development of interdisciplinary indigenous processes for the extraction of critical/strategic metals from secondary resources like mine and process wastes, etc., as well as contributed exemplarily in leveraging technologies for mining, metallurgical and waste recycling industries.

Adapted from PIB