The Indian government has reinstated the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar, marking the first national awards for scientists since their number was reduced in 2022. On August 7, 2024, it was announced that thirty-three awards would be given on August 23, which is also National Space Day, celebrating the Chandrayaan-3 moon landing.
Awards Structure
In January 2024, the Ministry of Science and Technology introduced a new awards scheme with four categories:
- Vigyan Ratna: Up to 3 awards for lifetime achievements in science and technology.
- Vigyan Shri: Up to 25 awards for distinguished contributions in various scientific fields.
- Vigyan Yuva: Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award: Up to 25 awards for exceptional contributions by young scientists.
- Vigyan Team Award: Up to 3 awards for teams of three or more innovators making significant contributions together.
2024 Award Winners
Below the complete list of winners:
| Award Category | Recipients | Associated Field |
|---|---|---|
| Vigyan Ratna Puraskar | Dr. Govindarajan Padmanabhan | Biochemistry |
| Vigyan Shri | Dr. Annapurini Subramanian | Astrophysics |
| Dr. Anandharamakrishnan C | Agriculture Science | |
| Dr. Avesh Kumar Tyagi | Atomic Energy | |
| Prof. Umesh Varshney, Prof. Jayant Bhalchandra Udgaonkar | Biological Sciences | |
| Prof. Syed Wajih Ahmad Naqvi | Earth Sciences | |
| Prof. Bhim Singh | Engineering Sciences | |
| Prof. Adimurthi Adi, Prof. Rahul Mukherjee | Mathematics and Computer Science | |
| Prof. Dr. Sanjay Behari | Medicine | |
| Prof. Lakshmanan Muthusamy, Prof. Naba Kumar Mondal | Physics | |
| Prof. Rohit Srivastava | Technology and Innovation | |
| Vigyan Yuva | Krishna Murthy SL, Swarup Kumar Parida | Agricultural Science |
| Radhakrishnan Mahalakshmi, Prof. Aravind Penmatsa | Biological Sciences | |
| Vivek Polshettiwar, Vishal Rai | Chemistry | |
| Roxy Mathew Koll | Earth Sciences | |
| Abhilash, Radha Krishna Ganti | Engineering Sciences | |
| Purabi Saikia, Bappi Paul | Environmental Science | |
| Mahesh Ramesh Kakde | Mathematics and Computer Science | |
| Jitendra Kumar Sahu, Pragya Dhruv Yadav | Medicine | |
| Urbasi Sinha | Physics | |
| Digendranath Swain, Prashant Kumar | Space Science and Technology | |
| Prabhu Rajagopal | Technology and Innovation | |
| Vigyan Team | Team Chandrayaan-3 | Space Science |
Award Ceremony
The 2024 Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar ceremony will take place on August 23. This event shows the government’s commitment to honoring scientific excellence in India. The selection of awardees was done through a nomination process on a special portal managed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, ensuring a fair and transparent selection.
About Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar
The Indian Government established the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar to recognize outstanding contributions to science and technology. It has been awarded since 1999 and focuses on promoting scientific innovation and communication. The awards cover various categories, including grassroots innovations, and come with monetary rewards and certificates. They are presented annually on National Science Day, February 28. This initiative aims to inspire young people to pursue careers in science and to increase public awareness of scientific achievements in India. Many recipients are leading researchers in various scientific fields.
