The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology (SSB) is a science award in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

given annually by the

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (IAST: ''vaigyanik tathā audyogik anusandhāna pariṣada''), abbreviated as CSIR, was established by the Government of India in September 1942 as an autonomous body that has emerged as the l ...

(CSIR) for notable and outstanding research, applied or

fundamental Fundamental may refer to: * Foundation of reality * Fundamental frequency, as in music or phonetics, often referred to as simply a "fundamental" * Fundamentalism, the belief in, and usually the strict adherence to, the simple or "fundamental" idea ...

, in

biology Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary i ...

chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...

environmental science Environmental science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physics, biology, and geography (including ecology, chemistry, plant science, zoology, mineralogy, oceanography, limnology, soil science, geology and physical geograp ...

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...

mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

medicine Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pract ...

, and

physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...

. The prize recognizes outstanding Indian work (according to the view of CSIR awarding committee) in

science Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence for ...

and

technology Technology is the application of knowledge to reach practical goals in a specifiable and reproducible way. The word ''technology'' may also mean the product of such an endeavor. The use of technology is widely prevalent in medicine, science, ...

. It is the most coveted award in

multidisciplinary science Interdisciplinarity or interdisciplinary studies involves the combination of multiple academic disciplines into one activity (e.g., a research project). It draws knowledge from several other fields like sociology, anthropology, psychology, ec ...

in India. The award is named after the founder Director of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research,

Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Sir Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar OBE, FNI, FASc, FRS, FRIC, FInstP (21 February 1894 – 1 January 1955) was an Indian colloid chemist, academic and scientific administrator. The first director-general of the Council of Scientific and Industr ...

. It was first awarded in 1958. Any citizen of India engaged in research in any field of science and technology up to the age of 45 years is eligible for the prize. The prize is 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 comprises a citation, a plaque, and a cash award of . In addition, recipients also receive Rs. 15,000 per month up to the age of 65 years.

Nomination and selection

Names of candidates are proposed by a member of the governing body of CSIR, Vice-Chancellors of universities or institutes of national importance, and deans of different faculties of science and former awardees. Selection is 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 is required for selection. If two nominees are unanimously recommended in the same field because of equal merit, both are awarded.

Prizes

The prize is divided into seven disciplines, namely: * Biological Sciences * Chemical Sciences * Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences * Engineering Sciences * Mathematical Sciences * Medical Sciences * Physical Sciences. Each discipline can have multiple winners (maximum 2 individuals). Up until 2007, the prize money was and was raised to in 2008.

Recipients

List of Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize recipients The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology is one of the highest multidisciplinary science awards in India. It was instituted in 1958 by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research in honor of Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar, it ...

Presentation

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

References

External links