Dr Rajendra Kumar of IARI to Get Award for Contribution in Popularization of Science & Technology on National Science Day

National Science Day (NSD) will be celebrated at Vigyan Bhawan on February 28 with women in science as the focal theme of the programme. President Ram Nath Kovind will present several awards for science communication and popularization as well as for women scientists. 

A total of 21 awards will be given which will include National Science and Technology and Communication Awards, Augmenting Writing Skills For Articulating Research (AWSAR) awards, SERB Women Excellence Awards and  National Award For Young Woman Showing Excellence Through Application Of Technology For Societal Benefits.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Minister of Science & Technology, Health and Family Welfare and Earth Sciences and Smriti Irani, Cabinet Minister for Textiles and Women & Child Development will also grace the occasion. 

NSD is celebrated every year on 28 February to commemorate the discovery of the ‘Raman Effect’. Government of India designated 28 February as National Science Day (NSD) in 1986.  On this day, Sir C.V. Raman announced the discovery of the 'Raman Effect' for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1930. On this occasion, theme-based science communication activities are carried out all over the country. 

The occasion will include a lecture of eminent scientist Prof Gagandeep Kang, Director of the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad who is first women FRS of India to talk on the theme of the NSD-2020.

NSD Theme has been chosen for the purpose of increasing public appreciation of the scientific issues involved. Celebrations of important Scientific Days with associated events bring scientific awareness in the community. Many institutions organize open house for their laboratories and appraise students about career opportunities available in a particular research laboratory/institution. 

National Council for Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC), Department of Science and Technology (DST) acts as a nodal agency to support, catalyze and coordinate celebration of the National Science Day throughout the country in scientific institutions, research laboratories and autonomous scientific institutions associated with the Department of Science and Technology.  NCSTC has supported various programmes countrywide by supporting its State S&T Councils & Departments for organization of lectures, quizzes, open houses, etc.

DST instituted National Awards for Science Popularization in February 1987 to stimulate, encourage and recognize outstanding efforts in the area of science and technology for popularization, communication and promoting scientific temper. These awards are presented every year on National Science Day.  

Prof Rajendra Kumar, an agricultural scientist, has made an outstanding contribution in popularization of science & technology through several innovative & traditional approaches. He has published 7 books, 116 research articles, more than 100 popular articles, 28 volumes of newsletters, more than 500 newspaper articles, delivered more than 100 television-radio talks along with more than 150 conference lectures, numerous poster presentations, and more than 500 public lectures. He popularised science among children, women, illiterate elderly people in rural, urban & sub-urban localities by organizing more than 180 Goshthees, corner / roadside meetings & Chaupals in/at farmers field, village ponds, fish ponds, grain threshing places, sugarcane cutting places, cattle sheds, Primary/Junior/High schools, through UPAAS, ISGBRD, SRDA, SSSD, etc. in English, Hindi & Vernacular languages leaving very large impact across the state/nation. He has been instrumental in motivating students, teachers, scientists and general public in popular science reading, writing, and utilization at learning centres, and outreach activities and created a significant spread over 75 districts of

Uttar Pradesh demonstrating a typical “Boom – Bust” cycle.

Prof. Suryamani Behra has been recognized as an excellent popular writer both in Odia and English languages. He is continuously writing articles and books for more than thirty years. He has published more than forty one books and more than  a thousand published articles. His latest books “Vigyan Ru Gyana”, “Jantra Karuchi Mantra”, “Vigyan Sahitya Darpan”, “Bigyan Mela” and books on Medicinal Plants cultivation have become very popular. Articles on Food Processing and Preservation are his notable contributions which are followed by many people as a help to cottage industry. He has also established Janapriya Vigyan Manch to impart training to budding popular science writers & Journalists.

Kisan Sewa Sansthan (KSS) is a pioneer in spreading and developing scientific temper among children in the Uttar Pradesh and spreading scientific awareness using a variety of unique tools and techniques for delivering benefit to various section of society. With this aim they reached the masses through their trainings, campaigns, lectures, orientations and workshops with specific initiatives like, communicating science through puppetry and explaining science behind so called miracles. KSS has coordinated and supported with its own resources the students from villages to visit DST’s Science Express at various railway stations in UP. It popularized science among millions of rural and urban children through Science Express, science fairs and melas, science debates, talks, essay competitions, science inspire tours, community radio programmes notably Chalo Gaon Ki Aur, and also the Mobile Science Exhibition Bus (MSE) for school students and people at large.