Astronomy Awards
ASI Awards
Ministry/Department/Organisation: Astronomical Society of India
Detail: The following are the awards given by the Astronomical Society of India, for achievements in Astronomy and Astrophysics. 1 ) Professor M.K. Vainu Bappu Gold Medal :The Astronomical Society of India has instituted a Fund in the memory of Professor M.K. Vainu Bappu with the objectives to promote knowledge of Astronomy and Astrophysics and honour the contributions made by young scientists, normally not beyond 35 years of age, from any part of the world, in the field of Astronomy and Astrophysics. As a token of appreciation of the scientist's contribution to Astronomy and Astrophysics, the Astronomical Society of India awards "Professor M.K. Vainu Bappu Gold Medal" and a citation. The award is given at intervals of two years. The recipient of the Gold Medal shall be required to deliver the "Vainu Bappu Memorial Lecture" at a meeting of the Astronomical Society of India. Partial support for the recipient's travel to the venue of the meeting and full local hospitality during the period of the meeting will be provided by the Society. Young Astronomers with exceptional achievements and promise are eligible for the award. The scientific achievements may be in any branch of Astronomy, Astrophysics and related fields. There are no restrictions on the nationality. Nominations of the best suited young persons for this award are invited at intervals of every two years. Work done prior to 31 December of the prescribed year only will be considered. The nominations may be made by Heads of Institutions, Directors of Observatories, Heads of Departments or Senior Scientists. Each nomination, including all the supporting documents, should be submitted in quadruplicate to the Secretary of the Society before the deadline, as announced from time to time. This award has been instituted in the year 1986.
2 ) Young Astronomer Award :The aim of this award, instituted by the Astronomical Society of India, is to motivate young Indian scientists to make outstanding research contributions in any aspect of Astronomy/Astrophysics and to publish the same in the Bulletin of the Astronomical Society of India. The award shall consist of a cash prize of Rs.3000/- and a scroll of honour which mentions the name/s of the author/s and the title of the winning research article, duly signed by the current President and the Secretary of the Society. The award shall be made once in every two years, and at the time of each such `year of award' papers published in the Bulletin of ASI during the two previous calendar years and satisfying necessary conditions mentioned hereunder will be considered for the award. Only those research articles may be considered for the award, whose first author shall be a young astronomer who is an Indian National and whose age will not exceed 35 years on the first day of the period for which the award is being made. In case the article is written by more than one author, the prize money will be divided equally among all those authors who are eligible in the sense defined above. The award shall be made on the basis of selection by a panel of three referees duly constituted by the Executive Council of ASI, soon after the publication of the last issue for the period of the Bulletin of ASI for which the award is made.
3 ) New Discovery Award :In order to recognise and appreciate the achievements of the Indian astronomers, the Society has instituted an award for the discoveries of comets, asteroids, novae, supernovae and any other astrophysical phenomena. This award consists of a cash prize of Rs.2000/-, a medal and a citation. It is called as the "New Discovery Award". The prerequisite for this award is that the discovery should have been made by an Indian National in India. The proof and authenticity of the discovery should be provided by the one who stakes claim for the award. There is no age restriction for this award. The nominations for this award may be made by Heads of Institutions, Directors of Observatories, Heads of Departments or Senior Scientists. Each nomination, including all the supporting documents, should be submitted in quadruplicate to the Secretary of the Society as and when the discovery is made.
4 ) Best Poster Awards :A set of four awards has been instituted for the Poster presentations at the annual meetings of the Astronomical Society of India. Each award will consist of Rupees Five Hundred and a certificate, and will be presented to the authors of the poster adjudged to be the best in each of the following disciplines:
i) Sun and the Solar System
ii) Stars and the Galaxy
(iii) Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology
(iv) Instrumentation
5 ) Best presentation of thesis at the ASI meetings :This feature has been included by the Society to encourage the participation of young astronomers who have completed their theses during the last two years preceding any ASI meeting. These participants are given a set time slot to present the details of their respective theses at an appropriate ASI meeting and a panel of judges duly appointed by the Executive Council of the Society in consultation with the Scientific Organising Committee of that meeting, shall select the best presentation.
The prize consists of a certificate, a cash award of Rs. 2500 and book which is normally donated by the members of ASI.
6 ) Justice Oak Award for Outstanding Thesis in Astronomy :The Astronomical Society of India (ASI) gives Justice V.G. Oak Award for outstanding Ph.D. thesis in Astronomy by an Indian student. The nominations for this award may be made by senior scientists, Directors or Heads of institutes or observatories engaged in research in astronomy, astrophysics, planetary sciences and allied fields. The thesis should have been formally submitted in the previous year of the award. The award consists of books and a medal. The objectives of the award is to encourage excellence amongst research students in India, and the award is given on the adjudication by a Standing Committee appointed by the ASI. The nominations should include a summary of the scientific work constituting the thesis, a statement regarding why the nominator considers the thesis outstanding, the curriculum vitae of the candidate and a signed letter by the nominator. This awards may be in any branch of Astronomy, Astrophysics and related fields. There are no restrictions on the nationality. Nominations of the best suited young persons for this award are invited at intervals of every two years. Work done prior to 31 December of the prescribed year only will be considered. The nominations may be made by Heads of Institutions, Directors of Observatories, Heads of Departments or Senior Scientists. Each nomination, including all the supporting documents, should be submitted in quadruplicate to the Secretary of the Society before the deadline, as announced from time to time. This award has been instituted in the year 1986.
Contact: www.prl.res.in/%7Easi/
National awards from Physical Research Laboratory
Ministry/Department/Organisation: Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad - 380 009, India.
Detail: 1 ) Hari Om Ashram Prerit Vikram Sarabhai Research Awards :Shri Hari Om Ashram, Nadiad, has instituted an endowment of Rs. 4,00,000/- to the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad for giving biennially Vikram Sarabhai Awards in the fields of : Space Sciences (Astronomy, Astrophysics, Planetary and Atmospheric Sciences) Space Applications (Meteorology, Hydrology, Remote Sensing and related ground truths) Electronics, Informatics, Telematics and Automation Systems Analysis or Management of non-linear, non-equilibrium systems in natural and social sciences and technology. Any scientist can nominate a candidate by sending a two page note summarising the achievements of the candidate together with his/her bio-data. The award, each of value of Rs. 50,000/- is given to Indian scientists of age not above 45 years for outstanding original research in the above fields, on the recommendation of an Expert Committee constituted by PRL. Nominations should be sent before 15 September to the Director, Physical Research Laboratory, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad ? 380 009
2 ) PRL Award :Starting from 1997, PRL has instituted the PRL Award, along the lines of Hari Om Awards, from the Aruna Lal Endowment fund established by Prof. Devendra Lal, Honorary Fellow and former Director of PRL. The award is given biennially to outstanding Indian scientists for innovative theoretical and/or experimental studies in dynamic earth and planetary systems including areas of oceanography, atmospheric sciences and meteorology. The award carries a medal and a cash prize of Rs.50, 000/-. The other details are same as the Hari Om Awards.
Contact: Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad - 380 009, India.
Tel: ++91 (0)79 - 2631 4000, Fax: - 2631 4900
For more information visit: www.prl.res.in
Aryabhata Award, ASI Awards and Space Gold Medals
Ministry/Department/Organisation: Astronautical Society of India (ASI)
Detail: The Astronautical Society of India (ASI) was set up in 1990 to foster the development of astronautics in the country. ASI is engaged in the dissemination of technical and other information related to astronautics by conducting technical meetings, bringing out technical publications and organising exhibitions. The society is also playing an active role to promote the interests of other developing countries in the field of astronautics through the International Astronautical Federation, Paris, in which the ASI is a voting member. The Aryabhata Award and the four ASI awards, instituted by ASI are aimed at recognising the talented Indian individuals who have made significant contributions in fostering astronautics in India.
Aryabhata Award:
which is named after the fifth century Indian Astronomer and Mathematician and also in commemoration of the first Indian Satellite, Aryabhata, launched on April 19, 1975, is presented annually to an individual for outstanding lifetime contribution to the promotion of astronautics in India. The award consists of a citation and Rs. 1,00,000/- in cash.
ASI Awards :
are also presented annually to individuals in recognition of their significant contributions made in India in the fields of
(a) Rocket and related technologies (b) Spacecraft and related technologies (c) Space Sciences and space applications and (d) Space systems management.
Each of the ASI Awards consists of a citation and Rs. 25,000/- in cash.
Any citizen of India, engaged in work related to astronautics, is eligible for the Aryabhata and ASI Awards. There is no age limit.
Space Gold Medal :
for Meritorious Service is presented annually to the personnel of Department of Space and who have made outstanding contributions to the Indian space programme. ASI instituted the award from the year 2000 for which the corpus fund has been contributed by a space scientist. It is the desire of the donor that the interest accrued on the corpus fund is used for awarding four to five gold medals annually.
An Awards Committee constituted by ASI each year for selection of individuals for the awards evaluates all the nominations received. The Committee may consider for the awards, persons, who in their opinion have made outstanding contributions to the development of astronautics, apart from the nominations received.
Contact: Astronautical Society of India ISRO Satelite Centre, Airport Road, Bangalore - 560 017,India
Website: www.asindia.org