The first SASTRA-CNR Rao Award for Excellence in Chemistry and Materials Science will be jointly awarded to Suresh Das, Director of the CSIR’s National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, and Sourav Pal, Director of the CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune.
The award, instituted by SASTRA University, recognises outstanding contribution in chemistry and materials science, two areas in which Prof. Rao’s contribution has been phenomenal. The award was instituted in the name of Prof. Rao as a tribute to his relent services to strengthen India’s position in science and technology, according to R. Sethuraman, Vice-Chancellor of SASTRA University.
The annual award carries a cash prize of Rs. 5 lakh and a citation. As a special case, both winners will be awarded Rs. 5 lakh each just as the two first SASTRA-Ramanujan Award winners in 2005 were given $10,000 each. The award will be presented on SASTRA University campus in Thanjavur on February 28, the National Science Day.
