ISSN 0409-7467

CSIRCSIR NEWSNEWS "When it comes to health, we need to have a balanced view between health as a right and health as a business" Prof. Samir K. Brahmachari Chief Mentor OSDD, Director General, CSIR Progress, Promise and Prospects

VOL 62 NOs 19 & 20 OCTOBER 2012

CONTENTS

— Welcome Address by Prof. Samir. K. Brahmachari, Director General, CSIR — Address by the Hon'ble Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh — Speech of Hon'ble Shri Vayalar Ravi, Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences and Vice President, CSIR — CSIR Foundation Day Lecture - Celebration of Science: Glorious Past and Challenging Future by Prof. C.N. R. Rao — Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science & Technology — Awards - CSIR Young Scientist Awards 2012 - CSIR Technology Awards 2012 - CSIR Award for S&T Innovations for Rural Development (CAIRD) - CSIR Diamond Jubilee Technology Award - CSIR Innovation Award for School Children 2011 ! AcSIR Convocation Ceremony ! G N Ramachandran Gold Medal for Excellence in Biological Sciences & Technology 2012

website: http://www.csir.res.in NEWSLETTER OF THE COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH

70TH CSIR FOUNDATION DAY CELEBRATIONS

70th CSIR Foundation Day Celebrations, 26 September 2012

Seen on the dais during the CSIR Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize Distribution Function at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi (from right) are: Prof. Samir. K. Brahmachari, Director General, CSIR; the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India and President CSIR, Dr Manmohan Singh and Shri Vayalar Ravi Hon’ble Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences and Vice President, CSIR

Founded in 1942, the Council of Scientific by Minister, Science & Technology and Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, along with and Industrial Research (CSIR) completed Earth Sciences and Vice President, CSIR, Shri Vayalar Ravi, Minister, Science & seventy years of dedicated service to the who gave away the various awards. Technology and Earth Sciences and Vice nation on 26 September 2012. The The main function of the CSIR President, CSIR. An exhibition was held occasion was celebrated by the entire CSIR Foundation Day this year was held at Vigyan on CSIR’s 70 best papers, 70 best patents, family, comprising of 37 institutes spread Bhawan, New Delhi. The function was 70 best wealth creating technologies, all over the country, with great enthusiasm. attended by the distinguished gathering of 70 best societal interventions and 70 It was an occasion to celebrate the scientists and technologists and crowned scientific leaders. This exhibition was well accomplishments of the year that has gone by the presence of the Honourable Prime attended by the dignitaries and other guests. by and plan for the future to serve the nation with still greater dedication. It was also an occasion to accord recognition to excellence in scientific research through the presentation of various awards. The main function of the CSIR Foundation Day this year was held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The function, attended by the distinguished gathering of scientists and technologists, was presided over Vignettes of the exhibition

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Welcome Address by Director General, CSIR Prof. Samir. K. Brahmachari

Our beloved Hon'ble Prime Minister and science and technology and the President, CSIR Society, Dr. Manmohan priority you attach to scientific Singh, our own Minister of Science and excellence, be it for breaking the Technology and Vice President CSIR, Shri frontiers of science or its Vayalar Ravi, Foundation Day Speaker, application to nation building. It respected Prof. C.N.R. Rao, the beacon of is extremely gratifying to note that Indian science, Chancellor of AcSIR, Dr. the legacy of giving away the SSB R.A. Mashelkar, former DGs’ of CSIR, award by the Prime Minister set distinguished Champions of CSIR, guests by Pandit Nehru and is being from academia, industries and institutions, continued by you even today. Sir, Awardees and their proud families, we thank you for your gracious members of electronic and print media, presence. members of my CSIR family, ladies and We are happy to welcome our gentlemen, those who are present in Vigyan S&T Minister and VP, CSIR Shri Bhawan Hall and those who are watching Valayar Ravi, who has given us DG CSIR, Prof. Samir. K. Brahmachari delivering this programme through the webcast. immense support and confidence the Welcome Address It is indeed a rare honour and privilege at the time when we needed it most for me to extend a very warm welcome on after the sudden demise of Shri Vilasrao innovating from the conventional education behalf of the CSIR family. I thank all of you Deshmukhji, who brilliantly steered the system, Sir on your advice, CSIR has now for joining us on this happy occasion. AcSIR Bill in the Parliament. For this, he leveraged the infrastructure and scientific CSIR has completed 70 years of the will be fondly remembered, not only today, strengths of CSIR, to form a self- service to the nation. This 70th Foundation but for generations to come. sustaining organization – the “Academy of Day is thus of added significance to all of CSIR ‘Foundation Day’ is an occasion Scientific and Innovative Research us. which many young and not so young (AcSIR)”. Today afternoon, 71 Engineers I am of the belief that to craft a scientists across India, keenly wait for. will receive their M.Tech degree under masterpiece there has to be a dream, They look forward to the most coveted AcSIR banner, where 68 of them have courage to stand by it, passion and Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, Young received distinction. They all want to determination to realize it. A group of Indian Scientists awards, CSIR Diamond Jubilee continue research in CSIR for their Ph.D scientists dared to have this dream of Technology Awards and CSIR awards for (like the 52 M.Tech. of the previous batch) creating CSIR as R&D hub of India. Hence, S&T Innovations for Rural Development. instead of leaving for abroad; a dream come we were born in 1942. It is thus also the day to celebrate the true. The visionaries and foot soldiers of achievements of Scientists and Innovation is the ability to see change CSIR worked tirelessly to create Technologists. I welcome all of them and as an opportunity. CSIR changed with institutions founded on science and congratulate them on their achievements. changing opportunities and recent years technology which were ahead of its time in Today being the day to mark a long created opportunities to change. CSIR is birth, withstood the vagaries of time journey of seven decades, it is the day to poised to lead in this Indian decade of through the seven decades and continue to thank our past leaders and distinguished innovation benchmarking itself globally. flourish and be relevant even today. champions, visionaries and scientific CSIR has recently fostered a major Hon'ble Prime Minister, Sir, your leaders. CSIR recognizes that an infusion strategic partnership with the setting up presence today in this function to honour of young and bright scientists is imperative Cluster Innovation Centres to promote the outstanding young scientists of this if India is to forge ahead in the global innovation at the grass root level country testifies to your commitment to science and technology arena. And so, particularly in Micro, Small & Medium

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Felicitation of Former Director Generals of CSIR and Eminent Scientists One of the highlights of the 70 th 7. Dr. A. Ramachandran (Additional Charge) Foundation Day Celebrations at Vigyan (27.7.1977 - 9.10.1978) (05.01.2007 - 06.03.2007) Bhawan on 26 September 2012 was the 8. Prof. M.G.K. Menon 17. Dr. .T.Ramasami (Additional felicitation of former Director Generals (9.10.1978 - 4.5.1981) Charge) (07.03.2007-11.11.2007) of CSIR and other eminent Scientists. 9. Dr. G.S. Sidhu www.csir.res.in/external/heads/aboutcsir/dglist/dglist1.html CSIR has always had far-seeing and (5.5.1981 - 4.5.1984) To the sound of thunderous applause gifted leaders at its helm who have steered 10. Prof. P .K. Jena from the audience Prof. M.G.K. Menon, it not only through the turbulent times (5.5.1984 - 21.6.1984) and Dr. S. Vardarajan and Dr. R.A. Mashelkar immediately after Independence of India, (28.1.1986-25.2.1986) were honoured with shawls and but also through changing times, and in mementoes by the Hon'ble Minister Shri the face of challenges that appeared 11. Dr. S. Vardarajan Vayalar Ravi, in the presence of the almost insurmountable. (22.6.1984 - 27.1.1986) current Director General Prof. S.K. The 70th Foundation Day of CSIR was 12. G. Thyagarajan (Officiated for Brahmachari. thus the most appropriate time to 7 days in 1986) It was a rare, emotional and evocative acknowledge the huge debt of gratitude 13. Dr. A.P. Mitra moment in time, when the present CSIR owes to these leaders and to (26.2.1986 - 16.4.1991) embraced the past to be frozen as golden publicly acknowledge the appreciation 14. Prof. S.K. Joshi memory in the minds of all who were and esteem in which they are held. (18.4.1991 - 30.6.1995) present on the occasion. Among the Former Director Generals of CSIR 15. Dr. R.A. Mashelkar distinguished Scientists to be honoured 1. Dr. S.S. Bhatnagar (Director) (1.7.1995 - 31.12.2006) were Prof. R.Kumar, Prof. M. M. Sharma (1942 - 1954) 16. Dr. Maharaj Kishan Bhan, (in absentia), Dr. P. Pama Rao 2. Prof. M.S. Thacker (in absentia), Dr. V. S. Ramamurthy, (3.8.1955 - 1.8.1962) Prof. N.Vijayan, Prof. Asis Datta and Dr. N. K. Ganguly. 3. Dr. S. Husain Zaheer Each ‘Champion of CSIR’ was (1.9.1962 - 21.8.1966) presented with a shawl and a 4. Prof. S.R. Mehra citation printed on especial (Officiated during deputation parchment-like leather created by abroad of DG.) CSIR-Central Leather Research 5. Dr. Atma Ram Institute (CSIR-CLRI), Chennai, as (22.8.1966 - 21.8.1971) a token of CSIR’s deep appreciation 6. Dr. Y. Nayudamma for their sustained contribution to (27.8.1971 - 27.7.1977) Champions of CSIR CSIR.

Enterprises (MSMEs) sector. Through this CSIR TECHVILs in the 12th Plan, which will all sectors of society such as NGOs, initiative, we are providing innovative S&T typically have 40,000 inhabitants where universities and entrepreneurs to suggest solutions to small industrial clusters such more than 50% live below the poverty line. solutions. as the Krishnagiri cluster in Tamil Nadu, We have identified 24 such locations Fifteen years ago, Sir, I moved from which is the largest producer of mangoes across the country. TECHVIL will go much Bangalore to Delhi as the Director of the to brass cluster at Muradabad, touching the beyond mere demonstration of technology Centre for Biochemical Technology, CSIR life of millions of people. and gauge the needs of the villagers and map with a dream to place India on the genomics CSIR is committed to create hamlets these needs against the technologies map of the world. The same small Centre of technology-enabled villages, called already in CSIR’s portfolio or will source today, is the Institute of Genomics in India

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70TH CSIR FOUNDATION DAY CELEBRATIONS and known worldwide. Hon’ble Prime Minister, Sir, we express our Address by the Hon’ble Prime Minister gratitude for inaugurating a futuristic International Campus for Dr Manmohan Singh CSIR-IGIB recently which was a dream come true. I am delighted to join you on the 70th Sir, this is a sign that CSIR is Foundation Day of the Council of Scientific changing…transforming itself to and Industrial Research. Dr. Brahmachari just embrace all sections of the reminded me of a personal attribute that I society, while at the same time happen to share with the Council - we were exploring the unexplored frontiers th both born on 26 September. I can think of of science. While on the one hand, no better company than this illustrious with the setting up of AcSIR we are gathering of men and women of science, with creating the next generation human whom to have my first public engagement resource that would be truly on this very special day. interdisciplinary, on the other hand, With your indulgence, I could stretch as an organization, CSIR is moving my association with the Council fraternity from creating to collaborating, even farther. Dr. Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar, The Hon’ble Prime Minister of India and President from isolated laboratories to CSIR, Dr Manmohan Singh addressing the gathering the man whose memory we cherish today, innovation complexes, from came to this city from Lahore with a dream creating wealth for a few large to build the chain of CSIR’s national Ministers have continued. Science has industries to creating wealth for Laboratories. I followed him with a more always commanded the utmost priority of many. We have created a happy modest dream of my own, to make a fresh our policymakers. I consider it a privilege CSIR…an organization that is beginning in free India, though in the tragedy to preside over this hallowed organization young at heart even after 70 and chaos of Partition that forced this in the seventh decade of its outstanding years…an organization that strives choice upon my family, to dream was indeed service to our nation. to work for the happiness of the to dare! I glad that the Council has proven its bottom of the pyramid. Partition was, of course, in many ways professional worth in every phase of India’s We will be showcasing in an a national tragedy far more poignant than our growth, in line with prevailing national exhibition at Vigyan Bhawan (and personal losses. In those days of horror, it policies and national priorities. In the early subsequently this will move) was easy to write off India, with its deep- days of Independence, it was a champion of CSIR’s best 70 papers; 70 best rooted poverty, widespread ignorance, import substitution, rebuilding our industrial patents; 70 best technologies that frequent epidemics and an economy that had base in the face of shortages and resource created wealth; 70 best societal remained stagnant in the five preceding crunch. When India became a victim of interventions and 70 scientific decades. technology denial, CSIR laboratories created leaders who made a difference. We But we were fortunate to have in advanced products and technologies, such as herald the awakening of a new CSIR Jawaharlal Nehru a leader who saw science India’s first super computer, radiation equipped with sensitivity and skills, and technology as an elixir for India’s shielding glasses and components for the tools and the drive to succeed, development, and in Dr. Bhatnagar a scientist aerospace and satellites, emerging as a the vision and the mission to take of extraordinary organizational capacity and credible partner for our strategic sector. the country to great heights. caliber to implement this vision of During this time, the Council also catapulted That’s the new CSIR for a new Jawaharlal Nehru. India as the top generic drug producer. India I present to you, President Sir, Recognizing the potential of scientific After India embraced globalization, on this your eightieth birthday. research, Jawaharlal Nehru placed the introduced economic reforms and joined the Welcome again and thank you Council under his personal charge, thereby WTO, the CSIR quickly emerged as the flag all. beginning a tradition that successive Prime bearer of the Intellectual Property

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the economic pyramid. The Council’s laurels. As a nation, we have not succeeded thrust on research and innovation in in mobilizing enough private investment renewable energy, water, environment and into science to raise our investment in waste management also reflect its scientific research to 2% of GDP. We awareness of contemporary challenges need to recognize that excellence has not that our country faces. percolated across all our research and In recent times, conventional academic institutions. We have not been scientific disciplines and approaches are able to make an impact on a world scale proving unequal to dealing with complex commensurate with our large scientific Presentation of a memento to the Hon’ble Prime developmental challenges. New manpower pool. CSIR, therefore, will Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, by DG-CSIR, disciplines are emerging at the interface need to devote itself to these national Prof. Samir K. Brahmachari of traditional boundaries. The newly challenges in the years to come. It will created Academy of Scientific and have to take up national leadership in movement in our country and became the Innovative Research promises to train our science, engineering and technology. single largest holder of US and European young scientists and engineers in trans- In this journey, young people like patents. The Council, in recent years, has disciplinary skills by tapping into the many of those gathered here are our also become a world leader in specific entire resources and infrastructure of the nation’s hope and future. I congratulate the domains of biotechnology and CSIR fraternity. This is a good initiative awardees for their talent, for their recombinant DNA products. and I look forward to early results. devotion to duty and for their aspirations I would like to particularly Last week, while inaugurating a new for Indian science. Young scientists must compliment the Council on its unique campus of the Council’s Institute of dream big and refuse to despair. I would attempt to make healthcare affordable by Genomics and Integrative Biology, I was like to remind them of the exemplary exploiting the power of open source drug impressed by the power and potential of determination and selfless patriotism of discovery. As a concept, this is a global public-private partnership in scientific Dr. Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar that led to first and the world has turned from research. I am told that across CSIR the establishment of one of the finest skepticism to partnership. I am happy to laboratories, new ecosystems like scientific institutions of our great country learn that the Council has opened its Innovation Complexes are being created – the Council for Scientific and Industrial patent chest for accelerated drug to foster innovation through partnership Research. discovery for hitherto neglected diseases with industry, academia and other R&D With these words, I wish you all like tuberculosis and malaria. institutions. Mechanisms have been put success in your endeavours. While we aim for global excellence in place to identify needs of India’s Jai Hind. and competitive advantage for our country industries and to tap bright ideas of the in science, the Council must not lose sight CSIR’s young talent. The of the mandate of science in our country Council has announced that Jawaharlal Nehru spoke about while policies to encourage addressing the Indian Science Congress scientists to create spin in 1947. offs and new ventures. It He said, “Science must think in terms is also partnering with of the 400 million persons in India”. I am the National Innovation glad that the Council has remained firmly Council to provide rooted in the social milieu of our country focused technology while selecting and implementing assistance to small and projects. I commend the recent CSIR 800 medium enterprises. programme which aims at affordable However, with all scientific interventions to improve the our achievements, we quality of life of the people at the base of cannot rest on our A view of the audience

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Speech of Hon’ble Shri Vayalar Ravi, Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences and Vice President, CSIR

Hon'ble Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan research through its laboratories, provided Singh, DG, CSIR Prof. S.K. Brahmachari, fellowships, transferred technologies and distinguished scientists, awardees, ladies disseminated research and industrial and gentlemen. information. At the outset, I congratulate CSIR Dr. Bhatnagar at the helm of CSIR had Family on this eventful day, the 70th glimpsed what he had once described as, anniversary of founding CSIR. My “...the dim lights of a new dawn.” His congratulations to all those who have been dynamic leadership gave the new nation its associated with this great organisation over first eleven laboratories in the years the years, and contributed to its success. spanning 1950-1953. CSIR is an organization known for several CSIR did not look back. It was an uphill accolades. climb, struggling with a lack of resources. I wish Hon'ble Prime Minister and Yet…from chemicals to glass and The Hon’ble Minister of Science & Technology and President, CSIR, Dr. Manmohan Singhji a ceramics, from physics to metallurgy, from Earth Sciences and Vice President, CSIR Shri very happy birthday –wish you many many tractors and food products to fuel Vayalar Ravi, addressing the gathering happy returns of the day. research…CSIR was everywhere; meeting I congratulate all the awardees and their the needs of the people of a new nation. respective regimes is praiseworthy. I thank families. They have done us proud. I am sure Most importantly it also began to build them, some of them are present here. I also the awards they have received, would trained human resource, which in the final thank CSIR Leadership Team on this motivate them, to enhance their R&D analyses, is the deciding factor occasion. efforts, so as to create newer and newer transcending every other resource. Today Today we remember, Pandit Nehru and innovations, benefiting our society. too, the schemes of CSIR cover a wide Dr. Bhatnagar and pay our tribute. The distinguished journey of CSIR - spectrum, ranging from 15 years to 65 how its constituent laboratories were years of age. Perhaps, there is hardly a Respected Prime Minister, CSIR have established, how CSIR repositioned itself scientist anywhere in India who has not been fortunate that you always went out of time to time to deliver high quality benefited from at least one of these the way to find time, out of your busy innovation, benefitting the society, is worth schemes. schedule and guided CSIR. Your advice and learning. This great heritage you have inherited. directions have not only challenged the CSIR performed as per its assigned Our nation has been lucky that CSIR CSIR system but motivated it to achieve the mandate, promoted scientific and industrial was founded at the right juncture. We had a unachievable. Sir, as you are aware, CSIR great visionary in Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, has put in place the CSIR@80: Vision & our first Prime Minister, who alongwith Dr. Strategy 2022 as per your direction and Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar nurtured CSIR in scientists in the system are committed to its formative years and put it on a well achieve the performance targets for thought out path which CSIR treads CSIR@80. dedicatedly, even today. This path is the One can speak for hours about CSIR, unique one and is driven by the philosophy the outputs and outcomes, it has achieved. of “challenge oneself”. CSIR has followed I remember, CSIR had brought out the it in letter and spirit and has challenged encyclopedia named Wealth of India. Aptly itself to do better and better and thus it named, this publication covers all of India’s Prof. Samir K. Brahmachari, DG-CSIR, moved further and higher. The significant raw material resources be it plants, animals presenting a memento and shawl to the role of subsequent Director Generals in or minerals. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru wrote Hon’ble Minister Shri Vayalar Ravi enhancing CSIR’s S&T prowess in their and I quote: “I have no doubt that this book...

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70TH CSIR FOUNDATION DAY CELEBRATIONS will be of great value to the builders of new organization and has a wide portfolio of international innovation systems more and India. It should be of value also in educating patents in its armoury. About 9% of its more, for the benefit of the society. I am the average citizen, who should take interest patents are licensed, a number which is glad to see that CSIR and National in this fascinating land and its enormous above the global average. Amongst its peers Innovation Council (NInC) have come potentialities”. in publicly funded research organizations together to make an economic difference st Even in the 21 century this publication in the world, CSIR is a leader in terms of for the MSME clusters. Also, CSIR through is an authentic source to establish India’s filing and securing patents worldwide. its CSIR-800 programme is putting biodiversity and traditional knowledge. It Major industry houses of India and concerted efforts to improve the quality of played a major role in backing up India’s innumerable MSMEs have benefitted from life of people at the bottom of economic claim against the US patent on turmeric; CSIR. CSIR’s contribution to the pyramid through desired S&T the case that paved the path for the globally development of North- Eastern States is interventions. appreciated Traditional Knowledge Digital commendable. CSIR is documenting DG, CSIR Prof. Samir K. Brahmachari, Library (TKDL) project. economic impact of many of its is an outstanding scientist, an ardent CSIR has been a partner in the nation’s technologies through a systematic effort. visionary, a perfect executor and achiever. industrial development for indigenous CSIR has pursued cutting edge science CSIR in no way can fall behind to achieve capacity creation after India’s and advanced knowledge frontiers. The the targets set for it, I would like CSIR to independence. With the change in policy scientific staff of CSIR only constitute achieve all what it has planned through its regime, CSIR endeavored since 1990s and about 3-4% of India’s scientific manpower vision document much before 2022. That successfully developed patent protected but they contribute to 11% of India’s is the pledge CSIR Scientists and Staff technologies. Beyond 2005, it focused on scientific outputs. should take today. the development of niche creating globally CSIR is the fountainhead of innovation Jai Hind. competitive technologies. in the country. In the present economic CSIR is granted 90% of US patents scenario, its efforts are of immense value. granted to any Indian publicly funded R&D I would like to see CSIR connecting to

Brief Biodata of Professor C.N.R. Rao

Prof. C.N.R. Rao is the National Research Professor as well as Honorary President and Linus Pauling Research Professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research. He is also an Honorary Professor at the Indian Institute of Science. His main research interests are in solid state and materials chemistry. He is an author of over 1400 research papers and 45 books. He received the M.Sc. degree from Banaras, Ph.D. from Purdue, D.Sc. from Mysore universities and has received honoris causa doctorate degrees from 53 universities including Purdue, Bordeaux, Banaras, Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Novosibirsk, Oxford, Stellenbosch, Grenoble, Uppsala, Wales, Wroclaw, Caen, Liverpool, Calcutta, Sri Venkateswara and Desikottama from Visva-Bharati. Prof. Rao is a member of many of the major science academies in the world including the Royal Society, London, the National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A., the Russian Academy of Sciences, French Academy of Sciences, Japan Academy as well as the American Philosophical Society. He is a member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Foreign Fellow of Academia Europaea and the Royal Society of Canada. He is on the editorial boards of several leading professional journals and is a distinguished visiting professor of the University of California and Cambridge University. Among the various medals, honours and awards received by him, mention may be made of the Marlow Medal of the Faraday Society (1967), Bhatnagar Prize (1968), Padma Shri (1974), Centennial Foreign Fellowship of the American Chemical Society (1976), Royal Society of Chemistry (London) Medal (1981), Padma Vibhushan (1985), Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Society of Chemistry, London (1989), Hevrovsky Gold Medal of the Czechoslovak Academy (1989), Blackett Lectureship of the Royal Society (1991), Einstein Gold Medal of UNESCO (1996), Linnett Professorship of the University of Cambridge (1998), Centenary Medal of the Royal Society of Chemistry, London (2000), the Hughes Medal of the Royal Society, London,

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CSIR Foundation Day Lecture Celebration of Science: Glorious Past and Challenging Future by

Prof. C.N. R. Rao —A Report

The 2012 CSIR Foundation Day Lecture was laureate Ernest Rutherford . Although the delivered by Prof. C.N. R. Rao who Rutherford atomic model proposed in 1911 provided an astonishingly personal account turned out to be not quite correct, the image of doing science against the global of electrons forming ellipses around a backdrop of the work done by scientists central nucleus is used across the globe as through the centuries. It was an amazing a symbol for atomic and nuclear items and blend of personal experiences, which in institutions. Prof. Rao’s case are formidable indeed, 2011 was the also centenary of the with the trend in science through the ages. discovery of superconductivity by Against the backdrop of the scientific Kamerlingh Onnes, whose mentor was the and technological developments of the last celebrated scientist Van der Waal. Thus Prof. C.N. R. Rao delivering the CSIR Foundation Day Lecture century, Prof. Rao led the audience on an science is not only linked by the continuum enthralling tour of the advances of science. of time but also by an unbroken chain of Conseil Solvay is considered a turning He began by highlighting just what a guru-shishya parampara. Prof. Rao point in the world of physics..and a century wonderful period of time this is. illustrated this point by showing archival has passed since then. The Solvay The year 2011 was the centenary of the photographs of the Solvay Conferences of Conference marks the passage of classical discovery of atomic structure by Nobel 1901 and 1927. As is well known, the 1911 physics to quantum mechanics; the passage

for original discovery in physical sciences (2000), Karnataka Ratna (2001) by the Karnataka Government, the Order of Scientific Merit (Grand-Cross) from the President of Brazil (2002), Gauss Professorship of Germany (2003) and the Somiya Award of the International Union of Materials Research (2004). He is the first recipient of the India Science Award by the Government of India and received the Dan David Prize for science in the future dimension for his research in Materials Science in 2005. He was named as Chemical Pioneer by the American Institute of Chemists (2005), Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur by the President of the French Republic (2005) and received the Honorary Fellowship of the Institute of Physics, London (2006) and St. Catherine’s College, Oxford (2007). He received the Nikkei Asia Prize for Science, Technology and Innovation (2008). He was awarded the Royal Medal by the Royal Society (2009) and the August-Wilhelm-von-Hoffmann Medal for his outstanding contributions to chemistry by the German Chemical Society (2010). He received the Ernesto Illy Trieste Science Prize for materials research in 2011 and was Albert Einstein Professor of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2012. Prof. Rao is Chairman, Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, immediate past President of The Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS) and Member of the Atomic Energy Commission of India. He is Founder-President of both the Chemical Research Society of India and of the Materials Research Society of India. Prof. Rao was President of the Indian National Science Academy (1985-86), the Indian Academy of Sciences (1989-91) and the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (1985-97). He was the Director of the Indian Institute of Science (1984-94), Chairman of the Science Advisory Council to Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi (1985-89) and Chairman, Scientific Advisory Committee to the Union Cabinet (1997-98) and Albert Einstein Research Professor (1995-99).

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70TH CSIR FOUNDATION DAY CELEBRATIONS of old science to new science. Showing a who, using the most simple and almost Chemistry is an old subject.” He close-up of the scientists who had primitive instruments, designed elegant substantiated this statement by analyzing participated in the two conferences, he said experiments that have stood the test of Dmitri Mendeleev’s seminal contributions that students of science must know the faces time. He did not belong to an elite family; to Chemistry; the Periodic Table. In the 1st of scientists. It was important to know how rather he had to start earning quite young century only about seven elements were ideas are born and how science happens, when he was apprenticed to a book binder known;, the number reached a double figure he said. at age of fourteen. Faraday educated (ten) in the 16th century , and by the 18th 2011 is also the centenary of the himself by reading books on a wide range century this figure doubled to reach twenty second Nobel Prize of Madame Marie of scientific subjects. In 1812, he had the known elements. By the 20th century, 114 Curie, who despite all her contributions to good luck of being given tickets to attend elements were known to us. Prof. Rao said science, had to fight prejudices, sexism and the lectures given by the chemist Humphry that modern chemistry began when chauvinism all her life. It is beyond belief, Davy at the Royal Institution. Faraday chemical bonds began to be understood. It said Prof. Rao ,that she was never admitted subsequently wrote to Davy asking for a job was the contribution of Gilbert Newton into the French Academy of Science. as his assistant. Although initially Davy Lewis that made this possible when he 2011 was the International Year of turned him down but finally, he did get a elucidated the structure of the covalent Chemistry and huge developments have job with Davy…and science gained a master bond. . Prof. Rao said that Dr. Lewis was taken place in the last century. Prof. Rao Scientist. To the amusement of the nominated 23 times for the Nobel Prize but pointed out that in 1911, X – rays had just audience Prof. Rao revealed that Faraday’s did not get it although he was perhaps the been discovered; as had radioactivity,noble first job in the laboratory had been as greatest chemist of the 20th century. Lewis gases and atomic structure. At around this “Chief Bottle Washer.” Then, this young died in 1946 and interestingly, the years time, scientists had worked out the secrets boy, with just three years of formal spanning 1930 to 1970 were dominated by behind chemical bonds (1916) and quantum schooling, went on to author 451 research chemical bonds. chemistry (1930). Today, chemistry has papers and carve his name in Science’s Hall In 1951, Linus Pauling discovered the advanced tremendously. of Fame. He is “..the hero of every thinking structure of the alpha helix in proteins. He Prof. Rao elaborated on the person,” said Prof. Rao. won the Nobel prize in chemistry for this contributions of Antoine Laurent Lavoisier, Prof. Rao further spoke about the in 1954. After the structure of the alpha Michael Faraday, G. N, Lewis, and Sir contributions of Sir William Lawrence helix was deduced, so was the structure of William Lawrence Bragg to name a few. Bragg, the youngest ever Nobel laureate the DNA double helix in 1953. James Thanks to the efforts of Lavoisier, the who shared the Nobel Prize with his father, Watson and Francis Crick shared the Nobel science of Chemistry progressed by leaps Sir William Henry Bragg. Laurence Bragg Prize in Physiology or Medicine with and bounds. Sadly, he was beheaded during was only 25 when he got the Nobel Prize. Maurice Wilkins in 1962 for this feat. the French revolution. Michael Faraday was Prof. Rao said that “Modern chemistry However, no less an achievement was the multi- faceted and multi- talented scientist is only about two hundred years old but deduction of the triple helix or the structure

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 1908 Was awarded to Ernest Rutherford, U.K. “for his investigations into the disintegration of elements, and the chem- istry of radioactive sub- stances”. The Rutherford atomic model proposed in 1911 turned out to be not quite correct. However, it is the image of electrons forming ellipses around a central nucleus which is used across the globe as a symbol for atomic Onnes with his mentor Van der Waal standing in and nuclear items and institutions. front of the helium liquifier developed by him.

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X-RAY DIFFRACTION 1912

200th anniversary of atomic theory What is chemistry ? 2012 Centenary of the discovery of X-ray Crystallography DALTON (1766 -1844) LAVOISIER W. L. BRAGG (1743-1794) of collagen by Gopalasamudram Narayana be Indians and to choose the right problem your best to India.” In a lighter vein he said, Ramachandran (GNR) who published his to work upon.” “If you become famous, your institute findings in Nature in 1956. Unfortunately Why do science he queried. Because becomes famous. Your country becomes no Nobel Prize was forthcoming for this science gives you generosity and makes famous.” discovery. you fearless and makes you forget Prof. Rao’s lecture ended with an Science progressed through the trivialities and become unselfish, he invocation that reminded the audience that eighties and nineties and now, the progress answered. science is a stream that flows ever onwards; (particularly in organic chemistry) is so To the young scientists his advice was and the mantle of the teacher descends on swift that if one does not read research simple. “Be determined to succeed. Give the disciple’s who carry the work forward. journals for two or three years one will find it impossible not just to keep up but even Prof. Rao quoted Rabindranath Tagore to understand what has been written, said Prof. Rao. We in India are slow and find it “I have got my leave. Bid me farewell, my brothers! difficult to keep up but we have to learn to I bow to you all and take my departure. progress faster, he cautioned the young Here I give back the keys of my door scientists in the audience. —and I give up all claims to my house. He elaborated on the shared legacy of I only ask for last kind words from you. science when the mantle passes from one We were neighbors for long, scientist to another as they carry forward but I received more than I could give. the work. He compared the science Now the day has dawned spending in the USA and the nationalistic pride that characterizes Chinese citizens and the lamp that lit my dark corner is out. and implored the audience to be “Proud to A summons has come and I am ready for my journey.”

Chemistry is an old subject, but modern chemistry is 200 years old.

Marie Curie, nee ELEMENTS Lavoisier Sklodowska 1st Century: 7 Today 16th Century: 10 18th Century: 20 20th Century: 114

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1911 was awarded to Marie Curie ‘In recognition of her services to the advancement of (includes artificial ones) chemistry by the discovery of the elements radium and SEABORG polonium, by the isolation of radium and the study of the nature and compounds of his remarkable element”. Attendees of Solvay Conference in 1927 Noble gases

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Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science & Technology

Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (SSB) Prize for technology up to the age of 45 years is  Engineering Sciences Science and Technology was instituted in eligible to be nominated for the SSB Prize.  Mathematical Sciences the year 1957, in the memory of late Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) and  Medical Sciences Dr (Sir) Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar, FRS, the Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) working in  Physical Sciences Founder Director of the Council of India are also eligible to be considered. Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The SSB Prize, comprising a citation, Till 2011, 474 scientists have received The SSB Prize is awarded each year on the a cash award of ` 5,00,000/- (Rupees five the prestigious Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar basis of conspicuously important and lakh only) and a plaque, is given to each Prize for Science and Technology. Majority outstanding contributions to human person selected for the award in the of SSB Awardees have remained in the knowledge and progress, made through following disciplines: country and contributed immensely to work done primarily in India during the five  Biological Sciences Indian Science and Technology. years, preceding the year of the prize.  Chemical Sciences The Hon’ble Prime Minister of India presented the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Any citizen of India engaged in  Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and research in any field of science and Prizes to 11 awardees for the year 2011. Planetary Sciences

Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prizes 2011 CITATIONS

Biological Sciences He has advanced new concepts about how cation-pi interactions and computational protein biosynthesis achieves design of enzyme inhibitors. extraordinarily high levels of fidelity, Dr Amit Prakash Sharma which is essential for cell survival. International Centre for Genetic Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean & Engineering and Biotechnology, Planetary Sciences New Delhi Chemical Sciences Dr Sharma has made seminal Dr Shankar Doraiswamy contributions to the delineation of Dr Balasubramanian Sundaram CSIR-National Institute of principles governing structure function Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Oceanography (CSIR-NIO), Goa relationships of key proteins involved in Advanced Scientific Research, Dr Doraiswamy has made outstanding malaria parasite biology. This work may Bangalore contributions to our understanding of the lead to the design of inhibitors targeting Dr Sundaram has made outstanding dynamics of the Indian Ocean through critical stages of the parasite in the human contributions based on realistic models to observations and mathematical modelling. host. supercritical carbon dioxide, ionic liquids and several other molecular systems. Dr Rajan Sankaranarayanan Engineering Sciences CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Dr Garikapati Narahari Sastry Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB), CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Dr Sirshendu De Hyderabad Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad Indian Institute of Technology, Dr Sankaranarayanan, has made Dr Sastry has made outstanding Kharagpur outstanding contributions in the area of contributions to the understanding co- Dr De has made fundamental structural biology of protein biosynthesis. operativity in non-bonded interactions, contributions to innovative membrane

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70TH CSIR FOUNDATION DAY CELEBRATIONS separations, membrane fabrication and particular for his work on Cannon-Thurston associated with signaling transduction electrokinetics. This has found direct maps leading to a proof of local mechanism in immune cells. Utilizing applications in dialysis and in water and connectivity of limit sets of Kleinian mycobacteria as a model, he has food purification. groups. demonstrated the cross talk between Notch signaling and nitric oxide. Dr Upadrasta Ramamurty Dr Palash Sarkar Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata Dr Ramamurty has made breakthrough Dr Sarkar has made significant Physical Sciences contributions in the understanding of contributions to cryptology including deformation behavior of complex and novel fundamental results on Boolean functions, Dr Shiraz Minwalla materials, including amorphous alloys and best known constructions of several modes Tata Institute of Fundamental metallic foams, explaining the phenomena of operation of a block cipher and Research, Mumbai at multiple length scales. hierarchical identity based encryption. Dr Minwalla has made fundamental contributions in establishing a connection Mathematical Sciences Medical Sciences between Einstein’s equations of general relativity and equations of Dr Mahan Mj Dr Kithiganahalli Narayanaswamy hydrodynamics, for discovering new Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Balaji terms in the equations of superfluid University, Howrah Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore dynamics and for providing influential Dr Mahan Mj has made outstanding Dr Balaji has made significant insights into an understanding of relativistic contributions in low dimensional manifolds contributions to the characterization of hydrodynamics. and geometric group theory, and in fundamental principles of plasticity

Hon’ble Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh , Hon’ble Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Shri Vayalar Ravi and DG CSIR Prof. S.K. Brahmachari with the awardees of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prizes 2011

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Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science @70: Science & Technology 2012 A new Award is Eleven scientists, listed below, have been selected for the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prizes announced for the year 2012. In keeping with the Biological Sciences Dr Y Shanthi Pavan Dept of Electrical Engg belief that age cannot dim Indian Institute of Technology Madras Dr Shantanu Chowdhury scientific passion, Chennai 600 036 CSIR Institute of Genomics and Prof. Samir Kumar Integrative Biology (CSIR IGIB) Brahmachari, DG- CSIR Mathematical Sciences Mall Road, Delhi - 110007 announced the creation of and a new award by CSIR. Dr Suman Kumar Dhar Dr Siva Ramachandran Athreya Special Centre for Molecular Medicine Theoretical Statistics and Mathematics Christened Science Jawaharlal Nehru University Division @70, this Award will be New Delhi 110 067 Indian Statistical Institute open to all Shanti Swarup 8th Mile Mysore Road, Chemical Sciences Bangalore 560 059 Bhatnagar Prize (SSB and Prize) awardees who are Dr Govindasamy Mugesh Dr Debashish Goswami actively pursuing science Department of Inorganic & Physical Stat-Math Unit and pushing back the Chemistry Indian Statistical Institute 203, B T Road, Kolkata 700 108 frontiers of knowledge Indian Institute of Science even after attaining the age Bangalore 560 012 and Medical Sciences of seventy. Dr Gangadhar J Sanjayan Announcing this on the Dr Sandip Basu Division of Organic Chemistry 70th Foundation Day of CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory Radiation Medicine Centre (CSIR NCL) Bhabha Atomic Research Centre CSIR, DG-CSIR said that Pashan Road, Pune 411 008 Tata Memorial Center Annexe he expected the young Mumbai 400 012 Scientists who received the Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and 2011 SSB Prize, and those Physical Sciences Planetary Sciences whose names were Dr Arindam Ghosh announced as winners of No Award Department of Physics the SSB Prize for 2012, to Indian Institute of Science keep this new award in Engineering Sciences Bangalore 560 012 and mind as they pursue their Dr Ravishankar Narayanan Dr Krishnendu Sengupta scientific careers. Materials Research Centre Department of Theoretical Physics Details would be Indian Institute of Science Indian Association for the Cultivation announced later, he said. Bangalore 560 012 of Science, 2A & 2B Raja S C Mullick and Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700 032

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CSIR Young Scientist Awards 2012 Instituted in 1987, CSIR Young Scientist Awards seek to promote Each award consists of a citation, a cash prize of ` 50,000/- in-house excellence in various fields of science and technology. and a plaque. CSIR Young Scientist Awardees are also entitled to CSIR scientists upto 35 years of age, as reckoned on 26 a research grant of ` 5 lakhs per annum for a period of five years. September (CSIR Foundation Day) of the preceding year, are Till 2011, 147 scientists (including 17 women scientists) eligible for the award. These awards are given annually in the have received the CSIR Young Scientist Awards. Out of these following fields: 16 scientists have been conferred with the prestigious Shanti  Biological Sciences Swarup Bhatnagar Prize. For the year 2012, an advisory committee  Chemical Sciences consisting of eminent scientists recommended the following ten  Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and scientists for the CSIR Young Scientist Awards. Planetary Sciences The recipients of the CSIR Young Scientist Awards for the year  Engineering Sciences 2012 are as follows:  Physical Sciences (including instrumentation)

Biological Sciences Dr Vinod Scaria of CSIR-Institute of of Minerals and Materials Technology Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IMMT), Bhubaneswar, for her (CSIR-IGIB), Delhi, for his outstanding excellent contributions in the design of Dr Avinash Mishra of CSIR-Central Salt contributions in the field of micro novel photocatalysts and their applications and Marine Chemicals Research Institute RNA biology and for developing in the area of solar energy conversion. (CSIR-CSMCRI), Bhavnagar, for his computational tools for the analysis of research on understanding adaptation of and genomic data. microalgae and plants to salt stress and Dr N Lakshminarasimhan of CSIR- towards development of potential Chemical Sciences Central Electrochemical Research Institute biotechnological applications. (CSIR-CECRI), Karaikudi, for his excellent and Dr Dipti Prakasini Das of CSIR-Institute contributions in understanding structure-

Hon’ble Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh , Hon’ble Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Shri Vayalar Ravi and DG CSIR Prof. S.K. Brahmachari with the CSIR Young Scientist Awardees.

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70TH CSIR FOUNDATION DAY CELEBRATIONS property relations of inorganic oxides and their use in energy systems. CSIR Technology Awards

Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences 2012 Instituted in 1990 , CSIR Technology Awards seek to foster and Dr Pawan Dewangan of CSIR-National Institute of encourage multidisciplinary in-house team efforts and external Oceanography (CSIR-NIO) , Goa, for his significant contribution interaction for technology development, transfer and towards understanding the gas hydrate system in Krishna- commercialization. These awards include awards for: (i) Life Godavari offshore basin (which is distributed along the fault Sciences; (ii) Physical Sciences including Engineering; (iii) system due to shale tectonism). Innovation; (iv) Business Development and Technology and Marketing; and (v) Most Significant CSIR Technology of the Five- Dr R Ebhin Masto of CSIR-Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Year Plan Period (awarded once in five years, coinciding with Research , (CSIR-CIMFR) Dhanbad, for his outstanding the plan period, to such technology which has proven in the contributions to the study of soil quality in coal industrial areas, marketplace atleast for five years). Each Technology Award fly ash and soil carbon sequestration through biochar. comprises of a cash prize of ` 2 lakh, except the award for the Most Significant CSIR Technology of the Five-Year Plan Engineering Sciences Period, which has a cash prize of ` 5 lakh. Besides, a plaque and a citation is also given to the awardees. Dr Mugdha Chetan Gadgil of CSIR-National Chemical Hon’ble Minister of Science and Technology and Earth Laboratory (CSIR-NCL), Pune, for her contributions in the Sciences and Vice President, CSIR, Shri Vayalar Ravi, on the general area of enhanced protein production including occasion of CSIR Foundation Day, gave away CSIR Technology development of novel hydrogel-based systems for animal cell Award 2012. culture. and CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Dr Priyanka Heda Maheshwari of CSIR-National Physical Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP) Laboratory (CSIR-NPL), New Delhi, for her exceptional contributions in developing carbon based advanced materials for future clean energy requirements of the country. CSIR-CIMAP has won the award for development and commercialization of anti-malarial drug plant Artemisia annua Physical Sciences technology package facilitating industrial growth, societal (including instrumentation) health and rural prosperity. A unique Pharma- Farm value chain linkage in Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode through CSIR-CIMAP Biovillage approach was established resulting in Dr Poonam Arora of CSIR-National Physical Laboratory not only enhancement and self reliance of drug production (CSIR-NPL), New Delhi, for her crucial contributions to the for the deadly malaria but also enhancement of the farmers Cesium Fountain Frequency Standard bringing together a variety income. of scientific and technological skills in a unique effort in the country. and CSIR-Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Shri Umesh Tiwari of CSIR-Central Scientific Instruments Research (CSIR-CIMFR) Organisation (CSIR-CSIO), Chandigarh, for his innovative and significant contributions in the area of optical fiber based sensors particularly in developing fiber grating sensors for novel CSIR-CIMFR has won the award for developing nonnitroglycerine applications in industrial and medical areas. based explosive-cord system suitable for use in blasting gallery

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Hon’ble Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh , Hon’ble Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Shri Vayalar Ravi and DG CSIR Prof. S.K. Brahmachari with the CSIR Technology Award 2012 winners. method in underground coal mines. The explosive system developed is first of its Anti-Arthritis Herbal Drug developed by kind. So far the only nonnitro- glycerine based explosive-cord system recommended CSIR-NEIST Launched for use in Blasting Gallery method in underground coal mines by the Directorate A safe and efficient Herbal General of Mines Safety (DGMS). Drug for Arthritis Treatment “Anti-Arthritis” which is pharmacologically and CSIR-Institute of Genomics and clinically assured for Integrative Biology arthritis treatment with ( CSIR-IGIB) proven relief developed in collaboration with Visva Bharati University was Shri Vayalar Ravi, Hon’ble Minister of Science & CSIR-IGIB has won the award for released under CSIR-NEIST developing Biochemical Oxygen Demand Technology and Earth Sciences, releasing ‘Anti-Arthritis’ in the presence of (BOD) Biosensor. The developed BOD affordable healthcare by Sri Vayalar Ravi in presence of Prof. Samir K. Brahmachari , DG CSIR, and Biosensor provides quick and precise Dr. P.G. Rao, Director, CSIR-NEIST (left) estimation of pollution load of waste water. Prof. Samir K. Brahmachari. It helps in conducting desired study in just Most of the inventors from two hours as against three to five days in CSIR-NEIST viz., Dr. Mantu Officer, Dr. N.C. Barua, Chief conventional methods. The developed Bhuyan, Scientist, Dr. P.R. Scientist, Dr. P.G. Rao, Director, technology has been transferred to M/s Bhattacharyya, Chief Scientist, CSIR-NEIST were present at Forbes Marshall Pvt. Ltd, Pune for commercialization. Dr. P.K. Baruah, Medical the function.

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reaching out to people in the rural and CSIR-CGCRI has won the award for CSIR-North-East Institute of tribal areas of North East Region. developing completely packaged Science and Technology commercial grade C-Band Erbium-Doped (CSIR-NEIST) CSIR-Central Glass and Fiber Amplifier (EDFA) for CATV and Ceramic Research Institute Telecom Networks. The developed CSIR-NEIST has won the award for product has found place in India and US (CSIR-CGCRI) significantly enhancing the business and markets. markets for their knowledge base by

CSIR Award for S&T Innovations for Rural Development (CAIRD)

CSIR instituted CSIR Award for S&T Innovations for Rural Development (CAIRD) in 2006 to recognize the honour those outstanding S&T innovations that have helped transform the lives of rural people or alleviated the drudgery of the rural people. The award is given to an innovation that has created a paradigm shift in standards of quality of life of the rural people or demonstrated competitive advantage and positive user response or helped in generation of rural employment in the country and shown a new way of conducting business to achieve social and economic transformation in the domain of rural development. The award consists of a cash prize of ` 10 lakh, a citation and a shield.

CAIRD-2010 year 2001. Howver, after setting up the first CSIR Award for S&T Innovations seabuckthorn processing for Rural Development(CAIRD) unit in Leh, seabuckthorn collection has been taken for the year 2010 was conferred up as an important activity on Defence Institute of High and additional source of Altitude Research (DIHAR), Leh income for farmers. ladakh for the Development of cold arid The contributions of agro-animal technologies for rural DIHAR has helped development in Ladakh region (J&K). enhance the availability of Through its multidimensional R&D efforts fresh foods such as , DIHAR has brought about qualitative and vegetables, fruits, milk, quantitative changes in agriculture, animal meat, eggs, supplementary Hon’ble Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh , Hon’ble Minister of husbandry and cold desert flora of Ladakh. herbal products and Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Shri Vayalar Ravi and DG CSIR Prof. S.K. Brahmachari with the awardees of the CSIR It has identified suitable varieties and medicinal and aromatic Awards for S&T Innovations for Rural Development (CAIRD)-2010 developed agro-practices of 78 types of plants to troops through vegetables and 30 types of high altitude local farmers in Ladakh, which has helped on Directorate of Agriculture, Govt medicinal and aromatic plants to boost Ladakh to achieve self-sufficiency. of Uttar Pradesh and CSIR- local production in cold desert region of National Botanical Research Ladakh. CAIRD-2011 Institute (CSIR-NBRI), Lucknow DIHAR has developed and successfully for the Plant Growth Promoting Microbial commer-cialized seabuckthorn products. CSIR Award for S&T Innovations Bioinoculants for Enhanced Crop The seabuck-thorn berries had no for Rural Development (CAIRD) Productivity. This innovation relates to the commercial value in Ladakh region till the for the year 2011 was conferred development of environment-friendly

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70TH CSIR FOUNDATION DAY CELEBRATIONS bioinoculants, which have been gainfully used for enhancing the crop yield. These have been used successfully for several economic crops like Urad, Arhar, Mung, Soybean, Groundnut, Gram, pea, Lentil etc. Promising results have also been obtained in trees, floricultural crops, spices, medicinal and aromatic crops through employment of these products. The bioinoculants developed by CSIR-NBRI and produced by Biofertiliser manufacturing units of the UP Govt. have been used in approximately 26 lakh hectares of agricultural land in UP during the last six years. This innovation has resulted in total fertilizer savings up to the tune of 31,997 MT for nitrogenous and 52,708 MT for phosphatic fertilizers during these years in U.P. The synergistic efforts of Directorate of Agriculture and CSIR-NBRI have helped Hon’ble Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh , Hon’ble Minister of transform the agricultural scenario of UP in terms of economic and Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Shri Vayalar Ravi and DG ecological benefits. CSIR Prof. S.K. Brahmachari with the awardees of the CSIR Awards for S&T Innovations for Rural Development (CAIRD)-2011

CSIR Diamond Jubilee Technology Award

CSIR instituted the CSIR Diamond Jubilee Technology Award (CDJTA) in commemoration of its Diamond Jubilee from the year 2003. The award acknowledges the most outstanding technological innovation that has brought prestige to the nation. The award is given to a technology that is developed in the country by Indian innovators and meets the highest global standards. Technologies leading to commercially successful products, processes and services, which give India a sustainable competitive advan- tage, are considered for the award. The award consists of a cash prize of `10 lakh, a citation and a shield.

CDJTA-2011 where complete equipment protection as well as tributary CSIR Diamond Jubilee Technology Award protection is needed. The for the year 2011 was conferred on Tejas TJ1600 enables several Networks Ltd., Bangalore for developing traffic interfaces and and commercialising the TJ1600, a high supports ASON which density core optical transport platform. facilitates dynamic control of TJ1600 is ideal for the core network transmission networks location where large amounts of data and through an automated voice traffic from different sources have management of network to be groomed and switched at wire speed. resources. Designed for optical backbone, high- Successfully deploying speed point-to-point links and high-density its transport solutions, such as digital cross-connects, TJ1600 Hon’ble Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh with recipients of CSIR TJ1600, in the key telecom Diamond Jubilee Technology Award accommodates a wide range of traffic networks in India and across modules, PDH tributary protection, Carrier the world, Tejas have emerged as a leading engineering capabilities of India and the Ethernet functionalities and support for Indian technology company. competitive spirit of the nation. CSIR DWDM interfaces. The platform is The success of Tejas has demonstrated recognises and honours Tejas Networks suitable for metro aggregation locations the redoubtable technological and Ltd. for the outstanding innovation TJ1600.

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CSIR Innovation Awards for School Children 2011

In order to enhance creativity amongst school children, CSIR announced Diamond Jubilee Invention Award for School Children on 26 April 2002, the day celebrated as World Intellectual Property Day, for the first time. The objectives of this competition are to capture creativity and innovativeness amongst school children and create awareness about IPR. The competition in the year 2011 was renamed CSIR Innovation Award for School Children. During the last ten years, i.e. from 2002 to 2011, 3694 proposals were received for these Awards from various parts of the country and 60 innovations were selected for various prizes by a High Level Awards Selection Committee. During the year 2011, eleven innovations were selected out of 370 proposals for various categories of prizes, out of total number of 30 prizes to be given. In the year 2011, no first prize was given. On 26 September 2012, 22 children were awarded CSIR Innovation Award for School Children 2011. The winner gets a cash prize, trophy and a certificate. The prizes are as follows:

First Prize (` 1,00,000/-) rotation of earth and its magnetic field. To oscillation such that it touches the bob No. of prizes : Nil harness this, two devices have been used, when it oscillates. This device will work in namely Foucault’s pendulum and a dip any place and time irrespective of its Second prize (` 50,000/-) needle. The present innovation displays a remoteness, terrain of its location, No. of prizes : One non working dummy of GPS system which electromagnetic jamming and connectivity includes a pendulum pivot which pivots the problems. Master Sanat Anand of Class 10 of string of the pendulum to the device without Third Prize (` 30,000/-) Welham Boys School, Dehradun for his having any effect on its oscillation. The (No. of prizes : Three) invention Stand alone GPS system. string is attached to the equipment through This innovation relates to a GPS a bolt and glue which gives the string equal Master Aditya Arun of Class 9 of Gear system device which does not require any pressure from all sides; an electromagnet Innovative International School, external support from medium like GPS which is placed on a wooden piece and kept Bangalore, for his invention A novel idler satellites. This innovation is based on on one extreme end of the pendulum’s gear for non-planar application.

Hon’ble Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Shri. Vayalar Ravi and DG CSIR Prof. Samir K. Brahmachari with the winners of CSIR Innovation Award for School Children 2011

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70TH CSIR FOUNDATION DAY CELEBRATIONS

This innovation provides a method of model of a portable, energy efficient, light shoe with help of garbage materials like a allowing engagement between the driver weight, compact and multi speed All in one sole, a zip and waste clothes. The gear and driven gear that need to engage in air treatment machine, which performs all advantages of this shoe is that it is cheaper different planes and transmit motion with the air related functions like air cooling, than other footwear’s and a single sole can minimum losses and backlash by air heating, air purification, air blowing etc. be used in multiple footwears like leather introducing the idler. A non-planar motion Existing air conditioners and air coolers are shoe, P.T shoe, slipper and sandal. This pair and alignment of gear train by interleaving responsible for growth of microorganisms, of shoes is interchangeable. By removing the idler gear comprising of T-shaft with if not cleaned and maintained properly. In upper part of shoes with the help of zip, a hub and shaft coupled with a pair of pins view of these problems, localized spot sandal can be made by tying straps with balls in it holding the ring gear. The bolt is cooling/heating concept has been used buttons. Anybody can easily carry these connected with hub and hollow shaft and through compact air pipes with air jet shoes during traveling. the ring plate affixed with the ring gear. The nozzles which will protect from mosquito pins allow the movement of ring gear in biting and also from various diseases. Master Abhijit Pal of Class11 of D.A.V. shifting the movement of driver gear by Compact recirculation air pipe sucks the Model School, Durgapur, West Bengal changing the angle of the plane in which air around the treated healthy air zone and for his invention Solar energy the gears shifts. feeds it into the air filter unit. The machine calculator: Agriculture and Technology Master Sailesh Patra of Class 11 of provides treated healthy air which ensures This innovation provides a way of D.A.V. Public School, Bharatpur, Orissa good health all the time and can be used as calculating the amount of solar energy in for his invention Wind o’ nova-an a year round air conditioner. any given area , which can be helpful in the innovative wind farm. field of agriculture as well as technology. This innovation provides a windmill Fourth Prize (` 20,000/-) In the present innovation, two styrofoam designed exclusively to harness wind energy (No. of prizes : Four) cups were filled with equal amount of ice by the use of equation of continuity. This Master Yash Kothari, Master Gulshan and the cups were covered with plain innovation comprises two models; for Sahu, Master Ayush Sharma, and Master aluminium and black painted aluminium domestic and s commercial purposes. In Saransh Tiwari of Class 9 of Kendriya sheet respectively . This set-up was then domestic wind farms, two funnel like Vidyalaya, Dhamtari, Chhattisgarh for kept under direct sunlight for some time. structures were joined at two ends of his invention Energy converter system The amount of solar energy is computed hollow cylindrical tunnel which is pivoted This innovation provides a method to by calculating mass of ice melted in black on a stand and series of wind turbines along generate electricity in rural areas with the painted aluminium sheet and mass of ice with generators were placed in the tunnel help of washer men. The innovation melted in plain aluminium sheet. structure. The outputs of generators were particularity is a system, which converts combined to obtain greater power output. mechanical pressure into electricity. When Miss Pallavi Sharma of Class 11 of Dual tunnel configuration is used to the washer man hits the pad with cloth to Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, harness wind energy from four directions. wash, the pad pressure is captured by the Chandigarh for his invention Water For commercial purpose, wind farms in spring. This spring is attached to the axel purifiers which at the junction of all the tunnels of dynamo. With the help of the motion of In this innovation, two types of water electrically operated shutter system of low the spring, axel of dynamo rotates and the purifiers are prepared. First is the Phyto energy were installed. This wind mill rotation of dynamo produces electricity. filters, which employs plant parts having the extracts wind energy from four directions capability to purify water. Plant fibers used Master Monawwer Mahfuz, Anjaney for the filtration purpose used are coconut without using any further energy for Kumar, Abhishek Anand, and Master rotation. fiber, maize husk, rice husk. Simple water Rahul Kumar of Class: 10 of Jawahar purifiers are prepared by using materials Master G.Brahadees of Class 12 of The Navodaya Vidyalaya, Saharsa, Bihar for those are cheap and easily available such Velammal International School, his invention Multi-purpose and eco- as water cone, PVC tap using activated Panchetti, Tamilnadu for his invention friendly shoe. carbon and cotton in tap. The student has All in one air treatment machine This innovation provides a method to tested the filter for purification of water This innovation relates to a working design a multipurpose and eco-friendly sample at various industries.

OCTOBER 2012 237 NEWSLETTER OF THE COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH

70TH CSIR FOUNDATION DAY CELEBRATIONS

Fifth Prize (` 10,000/)- (No. of prizes : Three) AcSIR Master Amit Kumar of Class 10 of Rajkiya Sarvodaya Bal Convocation Ceremony Vidyalaya, Kondli, Delhi for his invention Designer pen (Lekhni) This innovation aims to develop a designer pen, which is useful Established in 2011 as an ‘Institution of National for writing or drawing in a designer or creative fashion. The designer Importance’, the Academy of Scientific & Innovative pen consists of a motor from a CD-ROM drive, and a ball pen/ Research (AcSIR) is committed to creating and training refill/ sketch pen/marker installed on the upper part of the motor. some of the best of tomorrow’s S&T leaders through a While designing, the nib of the pen must be in a slanting position combination of innovative and novel curricula, pedagogy (by turning down the nib) and the length of pen or refill should not and evaluation. be more than 4 centimeters. There is a button on the motor for its On 26 September 2012, and coinciding with the 70th working and the motor can be charged by using Foundation Day of CSIR, AcSIR held its Second any of the charging appliances like mobile charger, 1.5 volt Nippo Convocation. Incidentally, the first Convocation of AcSIR battery, 9 V battery or an adaptor. One can utilize this designer pen had been held on 15 September 2011 (during interim mode) to write on hard paper, plastic, wood, wall, cloth and can enhance for 52 Students of PGRPE-2009 batch. one’s creativity. Prof. Gautam Biswas, Acting Director, AcSIR and Chairman of the Senate and Director, CSIR-CMERI Miss Aditi Raj, Miss B J Sadhana, Master C Shrijanand, Master delivered the Welcome Address. Kartik Mathur, Master T Sai Praneet and Master Vaghul K V Prof. Gautam Biswas and Dr. Nagesh Iyer, Acting of Class 10 of Bhartiya Vidya Bhawans Public School, Associate Director AcSIR and Member-Secretary of the Hyderabad for his invention Turning a turn buckle Senate and Director CSIR-SERC conducted the degree The innovation relates to a new and useful improvement in awarding ceremony and admitted the successful candidates turnbuckles. Turnbuckle is a device for adjusting the tension or length to the M.Tech degree of AcSIR. of ropes and consists of two threaded eyelets or screws. In the In his Convocation address to those graduating, Prof. present innovation, instead of using two screws in the turnbuckle, Samir K. Brahmachari, Vice Chairman AcSIR and Director turn buckle was itself used as a part of nut and bolt ensemble. One General, said, “You have done well… since 94 per cent have screw from the instrument was removed and soldered to the body got distinction, therefore all the graduates with distinction of the turnbuckle to the top of the iron core. The body of the are eligible to participate in CSIR’s PhD programme.” In a turnbuckle and the iron core together formed the effective core. lighter vein he said that the students graduating today held Then, the other screw was vertically fixed to the base and the first the passport to enter the world of science and that the young screw was inserted through it. Thus, when the screw was turned in scientists would create a new CSIR with new aspirations. the permanent base, the body of the turnbuckle attached to the iron He exhorted them to develop sensitivity to the needs of core would get displaced in the desired direction. others, who are less fortunate. He said that there was a need for those with high intellectual ability coupled with high Master Rohit Patel of Class 10 of Delhi Public School, Bhilai, sensitivity in the new CSIR. He said, “You will make a Chattisgarh for his invention Innovative car difference and then you will have inner happiness.” This innovation relates to the device named toy car which can Speaking on the occasion Dr. R. A. Mashelkar, solve the problems of parking. This car comprises of four extra Chairperson, AcSIR said that what was needed was wheels more than the normal car which are attached by hydraulics. innovation, passion and compassion. Innovation is These four wheels are placed perpendicular to the rest of the wheels. associated with the brain, passion is the fire in the belly and Moreover, this prototype has been designed so as to make an compassion lies in the realm of the heart. Acknowledging innovative toy in which the wheels attached to the motor have been the role that Late Shri Vilasrao Deshmukh had played in made using wheels from two remote controlled cars and the steering the AcSIR Bill through the Parliament, he said that hydraulics is made using syringes and tubes. This car includes a gear a special AcSIR Special Fellowship would be created to system, switches and a remote. commemorate his name.

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70TH CSIR FOUNDATION DAY CELEBRATIONS

He said that the creation of AcSIR 6 Tarannum Meraj 23 Swarn Singh Rathour had taken seven long years and that it owed 24 Jagat Jyoti Rath CSIR-Central Electronic Engineering a lot to the conviction and vision of Prof. Research Institute, Pilani CSIR-Central Road Research Brahmachari. Today with its distributed Advanced Semiconductor Electronics Institute, New Delhi campuses spanning the distance from 7 Aniruddha Kushwaha Engineering of Infrastructure and Kashmir to Kanyakumari, AcSIR is 8 Mridula Madhusudan Disaster Mitigation emerging not only as a centre of 9 R. Ganesh Raj 25 Mr. Ashutosh Arun distributed learning, but also integrated 10 Sumit Khandelwal 26 Mr. Gagandeep Singh learning. 11 Dheeraj Kharbanda His inspirational message was that CSIR-Central Scientific 12 Rahul Prajesh AcSIR was a new institute and it carried Instrumentation Organisation, 13 Sanjeev Kumar no “baggage”. Whatever AcSIR did was Chandigarh novel. It was free from the need to CSIR-Central Electronic Engineering Advanced Instrumentation Engineering conform to hidebound traditions; free to Research Institute, Pilani 27 Deewakar Sharma experiment with new pedagogy of High Power Microwave and System 28 Manoj Kumar Patel learning. “We are in the business not just Engineering 29 Mohd Mansoor Khan setting up best practices but NEXT 14 Parul Gupta 30 Mukesh Kumar practices,” he said. 15 Sushil Shukla 31 Neha Khatri Awardees of M.Tech Degree, AcSIR 16 Om Ranjan 32 Nishtha Panwar 2012 17 Purushothaman N 33 Prashant Kumar 34 Ravi Dhawan CSIR-Central Building Research CSIR-Central Mechanical 35 Shashi Poddar Institute, Roorkee Engineering Research Institute, Engineering of Infrastructure and Disaster Durgapur CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Mitigation Mechatronics Materials Technology, Bhubaneswar 1 Anindya Pain 18 Anirudh Kumar Material Resource Engineering 2 Micky Mecon Dalbehra 19 Mohd. Afroz Akhtar 36 Abhishek Pandey 3 Piysush Mohanty 20 Saikat Kr. Shome 37 Amulya Bihari Pattnaik 4 Randhir Chaudhary 21 Sidharth Pradhan 38 Meenal Mohindra 5 Siddharth Behra 22 Soumen Mandal 39 Pallishree Prusti

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70TH CSIR FOUNDATION DAY CELEBRATIONS

40 Sachida Nanda Sahu 51 Balaji S CSIR-National Environmantal 41 Shubhra Bajpai 52 Anbarsi J Engineering Research Institute, 42 Sikha Swaroopa 53 Niranjana C K Nagpur 43 Swagatika Dash 54 Sahil Bansal Environmental System Design 44 Debidutta Debasish 55 Sanketh Ailneni 65 Ankit Gupta 66 Rakesh Kadaverugu CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum, 56 Shikhar Jaiswal 67 S.A. Praveen Dehradun 57 Tahzeeb Hassan Danish Advanced Petroleum Science and CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, CSIR-Structural Engineering Technology Pune Research Centre, Chennai 45 Jayati Trivedi Chemical Engineering - Modeling & Engineering of Structures 46 Madhvi Gera Simulation/ Materials & Processes 68 B.S. Sindu 47 Neelam Naidu 58 Vikash Kumar 69 M. Surendran 48 Shashank Suman 59 Neetu Kumari 70 Rohit 71 Prabhat Ranjan Prem CSIR-National Aerospace 60 Indhupriya S Laboratories, Bangalore 61 Akash Arora Out of 71 graduating students, 63 Engineering of Flight Vehicles 62 Nupur Bansal were present at the Convocation. 8 49 Akshara P 63 Abhishek Gupta students could not make it to the 50 Ashwin Kumar Subramanyam 64 Rashmi Convocation.

G N Ramachandran Gold Medal for Excellence in Biological Sciences & Technology 2012 CSIR instituted a Gold Medal in 2004 in the fond memory of Prof. G N Ramachandran, a pioneer of protein chemistry and the founding father of structural biology in India, for recognising excellence in the interdisciplinary field of Biological Sciences and Technology. Till the year 2011, eight scientists have been bestowed with this prestigious award: Prof. M. Vijayan (2004), Prof. P. Balaram (2005), Prof. T. P. Singh (2006), Prof. C. Ramakrishnan (2007), Prof. M. R. N. Murthy (2008), Prof. R. V. Hosur (2009), Dr Dinakar M. Salunke (2010), Prof. Jayant B. Udgaonkar (2011). For the year 2012, the Advisory Committee recommended Prof. Dulal Panda of Indian Institute of Technology Bombay for G N Ramachandran Gold Medal.

Prof. Dulal Panda Prof. Dulal Panda of Indian Institute of Technology Bombay has done highly original work on the mechanism of bacterial cell division which has led to the development of promising antibacterial agents. Additionally, his studies on cancer cell division have led to identification of anti-cancer agents that act by destabilising microtubules.

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