NCSTC National Awards-07 for S&T Communication

BY: Dr.Y.Bala Murali krishna

 Panaji, Feb 26: The National Council for Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC), Dept. of Science and Technology, Government of India, has today announced its annual national awards for science and technology communication for outstanding work done in the past 5 years.

Union Minister, Science and Technology Kapil Sibal will felicitate the winners at a function to be organised in connection with National Science Day in New Delhi on March 1 after presenting the winners with the cash award along with a memento and a citation.

Dr. R. Chidambaram, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Govt. of India will deliver this year’s National Science Day Lecture in this connection.

Dr. T. Ramasami, Secretary, Dept. of Science and Technology, Govt. of India will preside over the function. A Science Exhibition would also be organized on this occasion at Technology Bhavan, New Delhi. 

Science exhibitions, quiz competitions, health awareness and science activity camps are being organized in various parts of the country to mark the National Science Day to enhance the level of public understanding of science and technology.

A number of science communication software materials have been developed for different target audiences ranging from children and woman to villagers and common man,according to the NCSTC chief and adviser Mr.Anuj Sinha.

These awards were instituted in 1987 by the government with a view to encouraging and recognizing the efforts in the area of science and technology communication and were first announced on National Science Day in 1988.

No award is being given for the category of science translation inIndian languages this year. Incidentally, the NCSTC is celebrating its Silver Jubilee marked with the year-long programmes and activities for ensuring deeper iutreach of science and technology into the society, its director Dr.Manoj K.Patairiya told UNI today. 

The award of Rs.two lakhs for “outstanding efforts in science communication” has been given to Dr. V.A. Elavalagan, Chennai who has consistently written dramas, columns in newspapers, articles in popular magazines, popular talks and field programmes which have enhanced public awareness and increased understanding of science. 

A similar award has been given to a Kochi-based non-government organization Swadeshi Science Movement which has been relentlessly working for communicating science by organizing congresses, workshops and competitions besides publishing popular magazines thus promoting scientific attitude among the people. 

The award of Rs.one lakh for “outstanding efforts in science communication through books and magazines” has been given to Mrs. Rekha Aggarwal, New Delhi for yeoman service rendered to the cause of popularization of science among masses.

She made significant efforts through books, science columns in newspapers, popular talks on radio and television on diverse subjects in science.

Another of Rs.one lakh for “outstanding efforts in science popularization among children” goes to Dr. Madhu Pant, New Delhi who  has dedicated her life for popularizing science through stories, poems, riddles, games, posters on issues of science and environment in a lucid manner.

A similar award has been given to Mr.Kuldeep Sharma, New Delhi who wrote over 30 books, 50 science stories and nearly 2000 articles in leading newspapers and magazines to explain complex scientific concepts and phenomena to children.

The national award of Rs.one lakh for “outstanding efforts in Science and Technology Communication in Print Medium” has been given to Mr.S. Ananthanarayanan, Mumbai for writing more than 400 articles in newspapers to explain science involved in common devices while retaining the attention and interest of his wide reader base. 

A similar award goes to frelance journalist Mr.Dinesh C.Sharma, New Delhi, who had been relentlessly working for communicating science through radio and television besides small newspapers in regional languages for over two decades.

Another award carying Rs.one lakh for ‘Outstanding Efforts in Science and Technology Communication through Electronic Medium” has gone to Mr.Niret Alva,Gurgaon, who,as a globally acclaimed award winning film maker, uses the electronic medium powerfully to convey the traditional science and current developments in the country. 

A similar award has been given to Mr.H.B. Muralidhara and Mrs.Seema Muralidhara, Mumbai,for developing a series of video programmes in an entertaining format to increase awareness on issues of health and environment targeted at women besides science concepts to middle school students.

//EOM//