Dr. Samir K. Bramhachari Announces Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award 2013

Dr. Samir K. Bramhachari, Director General Council for Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)

today announced the prestigious Shantri Swarup Bhatnagar Awards for the Year 2013. The awards were announced during the CSIR’s 71stFoundation day Celebrations held here in New Delhi. According to it, eight (08) scientists have been selected forShanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology for the year 2013. They are as under:

Biological Science Dr Sathees Chukkurumbal Raghavan Department of Biochemistry Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore 560 012 Chemical Sciences Dr Yamuna Krishnan National Centre for Biological Sciences (TIFR) UAS-GKVK, Bellary Road Bangalore 560 065 Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean & Planetary Sciences No Award Engineering Sciences Dr Bikramjit Basu Dr Suman Chakraborty Materials Research Centre Department of Mechanical Engineering Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Indian Institute of Technology (IITKgp) Bangalore 560012 Kharagpur 721302 Mathematical Sciences Dr Eknath Prabhakar Ghate School of Mathematical Sciences Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) Homi Bhabha Road, Colaba Mumbai 400 005 Medical Sciences Dr Pushkar Sharma National Institute of Immunology (NII) Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110 067

Physical Sciences Dr Amol Dighe Dr Vijay Balakrishna Shenoy Department of Theoretical Physics Department of Physics Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Homi Bhabha Road, Colaba Bangalore 560 012 Mumbai 400 005

These Awards will be presented by the Prime Minister for which the date will be fixed later on.

The Shanti SwarupBhatnagar Prize is the most coveted national recognition for young

scientists and engineers for their R&D work done in India. The Prize was instituted in 1957 in the honour of late Dr. (Sir) ShantiSwarupBhatnagar, an eminent scientist, founder Director and principal architect of CSIR. Over 450 scientists and technologists have been so far conferred upon this Prize in various disciplines of science for their outstanding R&D contribution. Each Prize carries a citation, cash prize, a plaque and an honorarium till superannuation.

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Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (SSB) Prize for Science and Technology

Weblink: http://csirhrdg.nic.in/ssbb.htm

Preamble

The award is named after the founder Director of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR),

the late Dr (Sir) Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar and is known as the ‘Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (SSB) Prize for

Science and Technology’. The Prize is given each year for outstanding contributions to science and

technology.

Some statistics:

o Instituted in 1957 in the honour of late Dr. Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar, who was an eminent scientist and

founder Director of CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research).

o It is declared every year on 26th

September, the foundation day of CSIR

o Over 450 scientists and technologists have so far been given this award in various science disciplines.

Nature of the Prize

SSB Prizes, each of the value of 5,00,000 Indian Rupees (equivalent to 10,000 USD or 6000 GBP), are

awarded annually for notable and outstanding research, applied or fundamental, in the following disciplines:

(1) Biological, (2) Chemical, (3) Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary, (4) Engineering, (5)

Mathematical, (6) Medical and (7) Physical Sciences. The awardees also get Rs. 15,000 per month up to the

age of 65 years.

Eligibility

Any citizen of India engaged in research in any field of science and technology up to the age of 45 years

as reckoned on 31st December of the year preceding the year of the Prize. Overseas citizen of India (OCI)

and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) working in India are also eligible. The Prize is bestowed on a person

who, in the opinion of CSIR, has made conspicuously important and outstanding contributions to human

knowledge and progress – fundamental and applied – in the particular field of endeavour, which is his/her

specialization. The Prize is awarded on the basis of contributions made through work done primarily in India

during the five years preceding the year of the Prize (‘primarily’ meaning ‘for the most part’).

Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar awardees in Engineering Sciences (Metallurgy / Materials Science specialisation)

[The following information is compiled from CSIR database (http://www.csir.res.in/external/Heads/career/awards.htm) or other

reliable sources and more information on an individual can be found from Wikipedia links/weblinks]

Year of

award Awardee - details Age

when

awarded

Important positions

held in career

1963 Brahm, Prakash Sp: Mineral chemistry and extractive metallurgy

Citation Dr Prakash has been specially concerned with

development of the fabrication technology for nuclear fuel

elements for research and power reactors. The fuel Element

Fabrication Plant at Trombay, designed and built under his

direction, provides fuel elements to meet the full requirements of

the natural uranium reactors, CIRUS at Trombay.

51 Director, Vikram

Sarabhai Space

Centre (VSSC),

Trivandrum

1967 Anantharaman, Tanjore Ramachandra Sp: Physical metallurgy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanjore_Ramachandra_Anantharaman

Citation Prof. Anantharaman has made important contributions

to the theory of plastic deformation, to the understanding of

precipitation stages in supersaturated solid solutions, and to the

use of refined low-angle X-ray scattering techniques.

40 Director, Institute of

Technology (BHU)

Varanasi.

1979 Rama Rao, Palle Sp: Physical metallurgy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palle_Rama_Rao

Citation Prof. Rama Rao has done significant work in physical

metallurgy, notably structural imperfections and mechanical

behaviour. His contributions on X-ray diffraction broadening in

deformed metals are well recognized. His work on stacking faults

has been used in the development of alloy theories. His work

provides the scientific base for the design of alloys with

improved mechanical properties.

42 Director, Defence

Metallurgical

Research Laboratory

(DMRL), Hyderabad

&

Secretary,Department

of Science &

Technology

1980 Arunachalam, Vallampadugai Srinivasaraghavan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V._S._R._Arunachalam

Citation Dr Arunachalam has done valuable applied and

fundamental work on ordered alloys, creep behaviour and

mechanism of pore closure. Under his leadership, the country has

become self-reliant in respect of certain strategic materials.

45 Defence Scientific

Advisor, Government

of India

1985 Rao, Patcha Ramachandra Sp: Physical metallurgy;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patcha_Ramachandra_Rao

Citation Prof. Rao has made significant theoretical and

experimental contributions in the field of rapid solidification of

metals. He developed a number of innovative techniques for the

preparation, characterisation and modelling of metastable

products, including the first ever quasicrystalline alloy.

43 Director, National

Metallurgical

Laboratory

and

Vice Chancellor,

Banaras Hindu

University

1987 Lele, Shrikant Sp: Phase transformations; Rapid solidifications; Quasicrystals.

Citation Prof. Lele has done notable original work on the

calculation of X-ray diffraction effects from faulted close-packed

crystals, the understanding of solid state transformations,

martensitic transformations and spinodal decomposition in alloys

and the analysis of electron diffraction from quasicrystals.

44 Rector, Banaras

Hindu University

1989 Banerjee, Srikumar Sp: Physical metallurgy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Srikumar_Banerjee

Citation Dr Banerjee has made significant contributions to

devitrification in zirconium base glasses have been highly

creative. His work on irradiation-induced order-disorder

transformation and phase separation in nickel-molybdenum

alloys is highly original.

43 Chairman, Atomic

Energy Commission

of India (2010-2012)

1993 Banerjee, Dipankar Sp: Physical Metallurgy

(http://materials.iisc.ernet.in/~dbanerjee)

Citation Dr Banerjee’s work on the physical metallurgy of

newer generation titanium aluminides has laid the basis for

significant improvements in this alloy system for applications in

gas turbine engines.

41 Director, Defence

Metallurgical

Research Laboratory

(DMRL), Hyderabad

1994 Sundararajan G. Sp: Surface engineering, High temperature deformation

http://www.arci.res.in/our-director.html

Citation Dr Sundararajan has made outstanding contributions to

experimental and theoretical aspects of materials engineering,

with special emphasis on tribological behaviour, high strain rate

and high temperature deformation/fracture, impact dynamics.

41 Director, ARCI,

Hyderabad

1995 Chattopadhyay, Kamanio Sp: Physical Metallurgy

(http://materials.iisc.ernet.in/~kamanio)

Citation Dr Chattopadhyay has made pioneering contributions

towards synthesis and characterization of new classes materials

including quasicrystals and namocomposites through his

sustained experimental and theoretical investigations.

45 Divisional Chairman,

Mechanical Sciences,

IISc, Bangalore

2003 Chokshi, Atul H. Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

Citation: Dr Chokshi has made seminal contribution in the field

of nanocrystalline materials, cavitation failure and superplastic

ceramics. His current research activities include colloidal

processing, densification techniques and high temperature creep.

45

2007 Murty, Budaraju Srinivasa; Indian Institute of Technology Madras.

Citation: Dr. Murty has made original contributions in synthesizing

nano materials by mechanical alloying and in the synthesis and

nanocrystallization of bulk metallic glasses

43

2011 Ramamurty, Upadrasta; Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

Citation: Dr. Ramamurty made breakthrough contributions in

understanding deformation behavior of complex and novel materials,

including amorphous alloys and metallic foams, explaining the

phenomena at multiple length scales

44

2012 Ravishankar, N.; Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

Citation: Dr. Ravishankar developed novel methods for the synthesis

of molecular scale, single crystallineAu nanowires in the solution

phase. This has led to the first time demonstration of insulating

behaviour in these metallic wires in such dimensions.

42

2013 Basu, Bikramjit; Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

Citation: Outstanding contributions, encompassing theory and

experiments to significantly expand our understanding of the in vitro

cell functionality modulation on engineered biomaterials using electric

field stimulation approach.

40

Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar awardees in Engineering Sciences

(Partial list starting who have had a significant influence on Indian Science) [Information compiled from CSIR database (http://www.csir.res.in/external/Heads/career/awards.htm) and other

reliable sources. More information can be found from Wikipedia links/website.] Year of

award

Awardee – details Notable positions held or other

awards in career

2002 Sharma, Ashutosh Citation: Dr. Ashutosh Sharma has made original pioneering

contributions to the understanding of the behaviour of thin

films and other highly confined nanoscale systems. He has

explained the instability and evolution of morphology of thin

films on homogeneous substrates by 3D nonlinear stability

theory and experiments. He has proposed a new theory for

dewetting of thin films on heterogeneous and patterned

substrates leading to a novel method for the small scale

patterning of polymer films by templating.

Infosys Prize in Engineering and

Computer Science, Infosys Science

Foundation (2010).

TWAS Prize in Engineering Sciences, The

Academy of Sciences for the Developing

World, Trieste, Italy (2008).

and many others..

2005 Deb, Kalyanmoy Citation: Dr Deb has made fundamental contributions to the

development of multi-objective evolution algorithms and their

applications to a number of complex engineering problems.

TWAS Prize in Engineering Sciences,

2012;

Infosys Prize, Infosys Science Foundation,

India, 2011

and many others..

1974 Narasimha, Roddam Sp: Fluid mechanics; Aerospace engineering;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roddam_Narasimha

Citation Dr Narasimha who has had a distinguished academic

career has made significant contributions in the broad field of

fluid mechanics. In particular, his studies relating to

turbulence, boundary layers and rarefied gas dynamics have

opened new horizons and helped in obtaining a better

understanding of these phenomena. His main forte is to extract

simple physical models from complex engineering problems

and apply sophisticated mathematical tools to obtain a better

understanding of them.

Director, National Aerospace

Laboratory

1975 Rao, Udipi Ramachandra Sp: Space science & technology; Avionics;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Udipi_Ramachandra_Rao

Citation Prof. Rao’s major contributions have been in the area

of satellite technology. To him goes the credit for systems

engineering from conception to design, fabrication and

operational phase of satellite systems. He was the chief

architect behind India’s first satellite ‘Aryabhatta’. The

technological spin-offs of this system will enable the

development of more sophisticated spacecraft systems for

national development in the coming decades.

Chairman, Indian Space Research

Organisation

1982 Mashelkar, Raghunath Anant Sp: Non-Newtonian fluid mechanics.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raghunath_Anant_Mashelkar

Citation Dr Mashelkar has done significant work in several

areas of polymer science and engineering. He has done original

and pioneering work on transport phenomena in

macromolecular media. His work in reaction engineering,

particularly for polycondensation reactors, is novel and has

been applied in an imaginative way in industry.

Director, National Chemical

Laboratory

&

Director-General, Council of

Scientific & Industrial Research

Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar awardees in Chemical Sciences

(Partial list mentioning a few names who have had a significant influence on Indian Science)

[information compiled from CSIR database ( http://www.csir.res.in/external/Heads/career/awards.htm) and more information

can be found from Wikipedia links]

Year of

award

Awardee’s name Age when

awarded

Important positions held in

career

1968

Rao, Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Citation Prof. Rao’s research work is related to the application

of spectroscopic methods for the study of chemical compounds,

the main emphasis being of UV and IR spectra. His recent

research work relates to solid state chemistry and constitutes a

valuable contribution to this important field.

34 Director, Indian Institute of

Science, Bangalore

&

President, Jawaharlal Nehru

Center for Advanced

Scientific Research

1986

Balaram, Padmanabhan

Citation Prof. Balaram has done significant work on

transmembrane peptide channels. He has employed NMR

spectroscopy and other modern techniques for studying

conformations of a variety of novel peptides. The work carried

out by him is of value not only in peptide chemistry but also

has considerable biological significance.

37 Director, Indian Institute of

Science, Bangalore (Present)

1961

Chatterjee, Asima, University of Calcutta, West Bengal Sp: Chemistry of natural products; Development of drugs from

natural sources.

Citation Dr (Mrs) Chatterjee has built up an active school of

advanced study and research in the chemistry of natural

products, especially in the chemistry of alkaloids and

coumarins, including furanolactones isolated from medicinal

plants indigenous to India. These researches are characterized

by novel techniques for the isolation of organic compounds

from plant sources, elucidation of their molecular architecture

and stereochemistry by classical and modern methods,

including spectroscopy, their synthesis, biogenesis and

chemotaxonomy.

44 First woman winner of SSB

award in any discipline

1993

Ramasami, Thirumalachari Citation Dr Ramasami has made important contributions to

the understanding of the structure and reaction mechanisms of

electron transfer and substitution reactions of chromium

complexes.

45 Secretary, Department of

Science & Technology,

Government of India

(Present)

Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar awardees in Biological Sciences

(partial list mentioning a few names who have had a significant influence on Indian Science)

[information compiled from CSIR database ( http://www.csir.res.in/external/Heads/career/awards.htm) and more

information can be found from Wikipedia links]

Year of

award

Awardee’s name Age

when

awarded

Important positions held in

career

1975

Siddiqi, Obaid ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obaid_Siddiqi) Citation Prof. Siddiqi has done significant work in molecular

biology with special reference to transfer and recombination of DNA

in micro-organisms and genetic regulation of protein synthesis. His

studies have helped in clarifying the relationship between DNA

replication and recombination.

43 Founder Director, TIFR

National Centre for Biological

Sciences, Bangalore

1990

Brahmachari, Samir Kumar

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samir_K._Brahmachari) Sp: Biophysical chemistry; Molecular biology.

Citation Dr Brahmachari has made contributions in regard to

functional interactions of DNA. His work has helped to elucidate the

sequence dependence of the conformation of Z-DNA. He and his

associates have shown that the action of certain restriction

endonucleases is sensitive to local conformational alterations and the

Z-conformation blocks the action of Escherichia coli DNA

polymerase-1.

38 Director-General, Council of

Scientific & Industrial

Research (Present)

1998

Vijay Raghavan, Krishnaswamy

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K._VijayRaghavan) Citation Dr Vijayraghavan has made outstanding contributions to

the understanding of the role of homeotic genes in muscle

development. His work on Drosophila flight muscle has been

extremely incisive and makes a major contribution to our

understanding of myogenesis.

44 Director, TIFR National

Centre for Biological Sciences

&

Secretary, Department of

Biotechnology, Government of

India (Present)

1983

Padmanaban, Govindarajan

Citation Prof. Padmanaban has to his credit significant work on

haemoprotein biosynthesis. His work has helped in gaining

understanding of the regulation of the biosynthesis of cytochrome P-

450 and cytochrome oxidase. His work is of importance in

elucidating the molecular basis of drug metabolism.

45 Director, Indian Institute of

Science, Bangalore

Today's Paper » NATIONAL » KARNATAKA Bangalore, September 28,

2013

Bhatnagar awardees elated

Special Correspondent

“As to any scientist, it means much to me, and encourages me to live up to the

higher standards now expected of me,” said Vijay B. Shenoy, Associate Professor,

Department of Physics, IISc. Dr. Shenoy is one of the four scientists from

Bangalore’s research institutes who are among eight awardees of this year’s Shanti

Swarup Bhatnagar Awards.

Two other scientists from the IISc. Sathees C Raghavan (Biological Sciences) and

Bikramjit Basu (Engineering Sciences) and Yamuna Krishnan from the

NCBS(Chemical Sciences) from the city, will be conferred the award by the Prime

Minister.

Dr. Shenoy works on the theoretical aspect of condensed matter physics, which he

says, offers “challenging problems such as understanding and developing systems

with high (room) temperature superconductivity.” Bikramjit Basu’s team looks at

“implantable biomaterials” particularly for bone-replacement, and investigates into

how biological cells interact with implanted materials.

Yamuna Krishnan says this recognition to her field of expertise which falls

“exactly at the interface between chemistry and biology,” reflects “great maturity

on the part of the chemistry community” that has recognised work that blurs the

boundaries and pulls chemical biology into the mainstream of chemistry.

Understanding the origins of genetic abnormalities associated with the genesis of

lymphoma and leukemia, forms the research core for Sathees C. Raghavan.

Recently, his group identified a new molecule that could potentially aid cancer

therapy.

Updated 11:01 IST | September 30, 2013

Updated 11:01 IST | September 30, 2013

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Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/engineering-sciences-bikramjit-basu-synthetic-bone-shanti-swarup-bhatnagar-award/1/312074.html

Engineer wins Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award for

creating synthetic bone DAMAYANTI DATTA BANGALORE, SEPTEMBER 27, 2013 | UPDATED 19:01 IST

There is a new bone in contention only it is a synthetic one.

This synthetic bone is the work of Bikramjit Basu, a 40-year-old scientist who studied metallurgy (now called materials science)

and is one of the eight recipients of India's very own Nobel Prize for young scientists-the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Awards,

2013.

He has won the award in 'engineering sciences' but his research promises to take care of the common man's health woes. In a

country where 50 per cent of the population faces risk of some sort of bone disease, Basu has come up with a lab-grown bone.

That's the way of 21st century science, where cutting-edge research in biosciences is happening through engineers, physicists and chemists. "That's because, we ask different questions and pursue different methods, that biologists do not ask or are not interested in," says Basu, associate professor of materials research center at

the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. New research in the medical sciences is also marked by a materials rush. Biomaterials, from nature or grown in the lab, are substances that are being 'mashed' with biological systems, supplementing or replacing natural functions. The 50-year-old science has grown so much that the materials are now being used every day in surgical

procedures and drug delivery. "Natural bone consists of collagen and something called hydroxyapatite," says Basu. Collagen is a protein that gives bone its resilience, while hydroxyapatite-the source of bone calcium-provides strength and rigidity. For the last four-five years, Basu and his team-first at IIT-Kanpur and then at IISc-has been working on developing an 'implantable biomaterial' that would regenerate bones. "We needed to create something that would have electrical property, biological compatibility, strength and toughness to resist fractures."

Bikramjit Basu is a 40-year-old scientist who studied metallurgy

His engineering skills came into play: measuring a material's ability to conduct electric current is essentially an engineer's approach. But the problem in hand was fundamentally biological: "Cells in the body communicate with each other by sending and receiving signals," he adds. Signals, from outside the body or from other cells, are passed

on though electrical impulse. In a unique experiment in his lab Basu showed that when electrical current was sent in, his bone implants allowed cells to "crosstalk" and grow.

The science has enormous healthcare implications. It simply means better treatment and healing for bone injuries: it can be

fixed onto bones, be shaped to fit voids or chips, be absorbed by the body eventually to re-grow new bones.

Question is: when will it reach the common man? "For lab-grown systems to work in the body, there are many more steps that

need to be taken, including clinical trials," he says. For that clinicians and engineers need to work very closely. "But in our

country such work rarely takes place. Everybody works in isolation. And scientific research does not get translated into

application." This is where the West beats the developing world. During his research at University of Leuven in Belgium as

well as University of California, Santa Barbara, US, this is what he saw: "Most top universities have a hospital and a host of

research labs work in collaboration with it. The work gets translated seamlessly, from lab bench-side to hospital bedside."

For now, such awards bring visibility to the field and to our world-class researchers. For Basu's father, who could never pursue

his academic dreams and worked in the railways to hold his family together in the wake of Partition, this is a dream come true.

The nation, however, has to walk many more miles before the synergy of science and clinical application can join hands to

reach the common man.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/engineering-sciences-bikramjit-basu-synthetic-bone-shanti-swarup-bhatnagar-award/1/312074.html

IISc scientists get their Bhatnagar desserts

TNN Oct 1, 2013, 06.03AM IST

BANGALORE: Three IISc professors have added more feathers to the institute's cap. Whether for unearthing

synthetic bones and cardiovascular patches or providing a breakthrough in cancer treatment, Bikramjit Basu, Dr

Sathees Chukkurumbal Raghavan and Vijay Balakrishna Shenoy are among eight eminent scientists who've

bagged the Swarup Bhatnagar Award for the year 2013.

Dr Sathees Chukkurumbal Raghavan (Biological Science)

Over 20 years of hard work finally paid off for this associate professor in the department of bio-chemistry at

IISc. Dr Sathees received the honour for discovering a cancer therapeutic agent and the cause of cancer in

human cells.

"I got the award for discovering SCR7. It's a chemical compound that blocks DNA repair in cancer cells. This

accumulates DNA damage inside the cell, causing its death," explained Dr Sathees, who's been working on two

types of cancer, leukaemia and lymphoma, and the modalities of how cancer cells are generated.

"The basic cause of cancer is chromosomal abnormality and translocation. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy

break the DNA inside the cancer cells, causing their death. Our research says if SCR7 is used alongside

radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the rate of recovery can be doubled and doses of radiation cut to half." Said Dr

Sathees. Tests have been done only on animals, and human trials could take at least a decade.

Bikramjit Basu (Engineering Sciences)

This engineer bagged the honour for his work in the field of medicine. Research by Bikramjit Basu, 40,

associate professor at Materials Research Centre, concerns the heart, nerves and bone disease. Basu has come

up with lab-grown synthetic bone, cardiovascular patches and bio-material for damaged nerves and orthopaedic

surgeries. "My work highlights the interface of material science and biological science. The outcome of the

research helps in orthopaedic surgeries, neural tissue engineering like nerve repair and cardiovascular

implantation, and also expanded our understanding of cell functionalities," said Basu. "The polymeric and

ceramic materials (bio-material) are non-living patches that can be used in case heart or nerve tissue gets

damaged. A part of my research is also based on 'socket acetabular', which can be called an advancement in the

field of hip replacement surgery," said Basu.

Vijay Balakrishna Shenoy (physical science)

The era of super computers could end, and quantum computers may be a reality soon. "Many technological

marvels -- from supercomputers to phablets - are based on condensed matter physics. I work on its theoretical

aspects. There are many open and challenging problems in this area such as understanding systems with high

temperature superconductivity, a state where electrical resistance goes to zero! One example can be quantum

computers which can solve more difficult problems in a much shorter time as compared to computers of this

generation," says Shenoy. In the past decade, a traditionally different branch of physics -- atomic-molecular-

optical physics -- has provided new opportunities to simulate condensed matter systems with atoms. This area is

called "cold atom quantum emulation".

Recognition for Kolkata scientists

Jhimli Mukherjee Pandey, TNN | Oct 2, 2013, 06.29 AM IST

KOLKATA: It's time for Bengal to feel proud. Two of its boys have won the Shanti Swarup

Bhatnagar Prize for engineering sciences this year - the highest award for science in the

country.

One of these boys - Bikramjit Basu - has unfortunately chosen to leave the state to live his

professional life in Bangalore. Suman Chakraborty, the other recipient, however, continues to

live and teach here. Interestingly, the duo has jointly won the prize for using nanotechnology

for the benefit of human health. While Chakraborty is a faculty member of IIT Kharagpur's

mechanical engineering department, Bikramjit Basu teaches at IISc Bangalore.

Chakraborty has won the award for being a pioneer in the field of microfluidics (flow of fluids

through tiny channels). In layman's term, his scientific discovery, christened microfluidics,

proves that under certain conditions rough surfaces of tiny channels can help in transmitting

fluid instead of creating resistance. The application areas on which Chakraborty is working at

present range from cooling of electronic chips and energy conversion by nanotechnology on

one side and developing low-cost diagnostic and therapeutic tools for medical applications on

the other. With the aid of his fundamental scientific discoveries, he has designed painless

microneedles for blood glucose monitoring and insulin delivery. The jury was further impressed

by his contributions to low-cost medical diagnostics that is expected to revolutionize rapid,

portable, accurate and inexpensive medical diagnostics. "The fact that healthcare in this

country is beyond the means of a large number of people is one of our worst problems. So I

have been working for years to make diagnostics affordable to my people, which is the first step

to healthcare revolution. Apart from cancer, other diseases that I concentrate on as part of my

continuous research are dengue and malaria, which despite not being as dreaded as cancer,

take a lot of lives throughout the country every year," Chakraborty said.

Basu, on the other hand, has researched extensively on vitro cell functionality modulation on

engineered biomaterials using electric field stimulation approach.