Young Scientist Awards announced

By Our Staff Reporter

THRISSUR, JAN. 31. The 13th Kerala Science Congress concluded at the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA) here today with the announcement of the Young Scientist Awards--2001 for the best papers presented at the Congress.

Five scientists were selected for the awards in four topics. Ms. R. G. Bindu of the Department of Physics of the University College, Thiruvananthapuram, and Mr. R. Ratheesh of the Regional Research Laboratory, Thiruvananthapuram, shared the top place in the Physical Sciences section.

Ms. Lakshmi G. Nair of the Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram, has won the award in the Life Sciences section, while Ms. P. B. Pushpalatha of the College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, has bagged the award in the Agriculture section.

The award in the Engineering and Technology section went to Mr. Jacob Samuel of the Department of Polymer Sciences and Rubber Technology of the Cochin University of Science and Technology.

Each of the five award winners will get a cash prize of Rs. 5,000, a Fellowship of Rs. 2000 for continuing research for three years, and a certificate. Prof. M. R. Das, chairman of the State Science, Technology and Environment Committee (STEC), distributed the awards.

Dr. Das, in his concluding speech, said the papers presented at the congress were of international standard and the discussions had thrown up many ideas for the development of the State through the use of science and technology.

Presiding over the concluding session Dr C P Saigal, director of the Central Department of Science and Technology, hailed the efforts being made by Kerala to promote science through the conduct of regular science congresses. In fact, Kerala is the only State which has been able to organise such regular State- level congresses, she said.

According to her, Kerala was the only State where the STEC has started science institutions which are able to undertake location-specific research and development activities.

``But this must not be the end. Efforts must be made to provide young scientists the opportunities to interact with senior scientists, and with important laboratories, both at the State and the national-level,'' she said.

Dr. N. P. Suresh Babu, Prof. M. Jayakumar and Dr. P. N. Premachandran, all from the STEC, spoke at the concluding session.

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