The Central Government has recently made an announcement to introduce 56 awards under the category of Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar to honor the contributions of scientists. The awards will be annually announced on National Technology Day (May 11) and presented on National Space Day (August 23) from the year 2024 onwards. Resembling the prestigious Padma awards, these awards will exclude any cash component and will cover 13 science-related domains.
Vigyan Ratna Awards
The Vigyan Ratna Awards are part of the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar initiative. These prestigious accolades will recognize lifetime achievements and contributions made in any field of science and technology.
Vigyan Shri Awards
The Vigyan Shri Awards have been established with the intention of acknowledging distinguished contributions to any field of science and technology.
Vigyan Team Awards
The Vigyan Team Awards will celebrate the collaborative efforts of teams within the scientific community. They will be awarded to a team comprising of three or more scientists, researchers, or innovators who have made remarkable contributions to any field of science and technology through teamwork.
Vigyan Yuva-Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (VY-SSB)
Recognized as the highest multidisciplinary science awards in India, the VY-SSB awards will be bestowed upon young scientists who are under the age of 45. These awards are named in honor of Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar, the founder, and director of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), who was also a famous chemist and visionary.
Participation of Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs)
Under the new awards scheme, Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) will be eligible for most awards. However, only one PIO may receive the Vigyan Ratna, while three PIOs each can be selected for the Vigyan Shri and the VY-SSB. Though eligible for most individual awards, PIOs will not be considered for the Vigyan Team awards.
National Technology Day – A Celebration of Scientific Achievements
National Technology Day is celebrated to commemorate the scientific and technological achievements of Indian scientists and engineers. Initiated in 1999, it was named by the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Every year, the Technology Development Board of India under the Ministry of Science and Technology celebrates the day by awarding individuals with the National Award for their contribution to science and technology. It also marks a significant day in Indian history, as it was on May 11 in 1998, that India successfully tested nuclear bombs in Pokhran. This operation, called Pokhran-II or Operation Shakti, saw the successful test-firing of India’s Shakti-1 nuclear missile.
UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year Query
A question asked in the Union Public Service Commission Civil Services Examination in 2009 was: “For an outstanding contribution to which one of the following fields is Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize given?” The options provided were (a) Literature (b) Performing Arts (c) Science and (d) Social Service. The correct answer is (c) Science.
