Former Vice Chancellor of University of Madras, Professor S.P. Thyagarajan, an eminent scientist and academic, received the State Government’s A.P.J. Abdul Kalam award from Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami during the Independence Day celebrations at Fort St. George here on Tuesday.
Mr. Thyagarajan, currently Professor of Eminence & Dean (Research) Sri Ramachandra University, said that the award would inspire young professors and teachers to focus on imparting world-class education without looking for immediate rewards.
“My message to the young teachers is that they should work without expecting the return the very next day. If they show commitment in teaching and research, recognition will come to them. You have to make yourself worthy of it,” he told The Hindu .
Hepatitis B drug
Credited with inventing an herbal drug ‘Virohep’ to treat Hepatitis B and patenting it under the University of Madras, Mr. Thyagarajan said he was proud of pioneering university-industry interaction in Tamil Nadu.
“If the research done by scholars in the university needs to reach the people, then there should be more university-industry interaction and the two must join hands. The academics in university do not have the wherewithal to do this. I am glad that the University of Madras did it when I was the Vice Chancellor. More incubation centres need to be set up and this culture should come into the university system. My discovery paved the way for this for the first time in the University of Madras,” he said. Expressing that he was extremely proud to receive an award in the name of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Mr. Thyagarajan said, “This award is more satisfying than anything because I have put in more than 37 years of service in research and guiding research scholars. The recognition by the government for which I have worked is a motivation for me to continue.”
Recalling his association with Kalam, he said, “I had a very close interaction with him. During the 150th year celebration of the University of Madras, I tried to integrate the first three universities founded in India: the University of Bombay, the University Of Madras and the University of Calcutta. We signed the MOU in Rashtrapathi Bhavan and he helped obtain a special fund from Central Government – a grant of ₹150 crore,” he said.
