Awards Presented for Science Communication

Marking the National Science Day, the Ministry of Science and Technology today presented awards to 10 science communicators from different parts of the country with the National Science and Technology communication awards for 2018.

Speaking on the occasion, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government, Prof. Vijayaraghavan, emphasized the need to bridge the gap between scientists and the common man to promote scientific temperament. “The gap between the scientists and the common man can’t be bridged if scientists are bothered only about their work and not connecting with the lay public. It is essential that scientists go closer to the people and communicate with them”, he said.

Presenting the awards, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Dr. Ashutosh Sharma, urged scientists to get associated with the recently launched DD Science television programme and the web portal India Science so that science communication could be promoted in the country.

While DD Science is a one-hour slot on Doordarshan National channel, which will be telecast from Monday to Saturday from 5 pm to 6 pm, India Science is an online channel, which will be available on all internet-enabled devices and offer live, scheduled play and video-on-demand services round the clock.

Head of National Council for Science and Technology Communication, Dr. Nisha Mendiratta, noted that the national science communication awards are being given since 1987. The awards are presented in six categories every year on National Science Day. The awards carry a prize amount of Rs. 2 lakh each. The aim is to popularize science, promote scientific temper in the country and encourage those engaged individuals and institutions involved in science communication.

National Science Day is celebrated on February 28 every year to mark the discovery of Raman effect by Sir C.V.Raman. The discovery fetched him the Nobel Prize.

Science communicators who received the awards today include Dr. Huidrom Birkumar Singh of Imphal, Munindra Kumar Mazumdar of Guwahati, and Prof. Manasi Goswami of Bhubaneshwar (national award in print media category),

Biologist Dr Huidrom has written articles for various newspapers and magazines. He has also written books on water, biodiversity, and biological resources in English and Manipuri language. Dr Munindra Kumar is engaged in popularising mathematics among students and their parents living in remote areas of Assam. Dr Mansi Goswami has won the award for translating scientific literature and popularizing science through cartoons, poems, drama scripts and Wall Magazines.

In the second category of outstanding efforts in popularizing science among children` Rural Agricultural Development Society, an organization working in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh, has won the first prize, Dr. Rajkumar, Vice Chancellor, Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences, Etawah the second prize and Zakir Ali ‘Rajneesh’ of Lucknow the third prize. Dr.Rajkumar has been involved in inculcating scientific temper amongst children, and Rajneesh is devoted to writing science stories and informative articles.

In the third category of awards for popularizing science with innovative and traditional methods, Dr Brijmohan Sharma of Nainital has won the first prize and Dr. Sunita Jhala of Jaipur the second prize. Prof. Manish Ratnakar Joshi of Jalgaon got the national award for translating popular science and technology literature in the eighth Schedule languages and English and Dr. Ankuran Dutta of Guwahati has been awarded for generating scientific interest in the marginalized communities through an electronic medium.

Nobody found suitable for award under the category of outstanding efforts in science and technology communication. The award consists of Rs. 5,00,000, a memento and citation.  (Indian Science Wire)

By Sunderarajan Padmanabhan

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