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Ministry of Mines

National Geoscience Awards 2023

A Tribute to Innovation and Discovery

Posted On: 21 AUG 2024 6:36PM

The National Geoscience Awards (NGA) are prestigious awards instituted by the Ministry of Mines, Government of India, to recognize and celebrate extraordinary achievements and contributions in the field of geosciences. Originally established in 1966 as the National Mineral Awards, the scope of these awards was broadened in 2009, leading to their renaming as the National Geoscience Awards.

National Geoscience Awards-2023

 National Geoscience Awards were presented to 21 Geoscientists on 20 August 2024 by the President of India in the presence of Minister of Mines Shri G. Kishan Reddy and other distinguished geoscientists, scholars, policymakers and industry leaders. For NGA 2023, 240 nominations were received under different award categories and examined through a three-stage screening process. After detailed deliberations, the Ministry of Mines has finally selected 12 awards which include 9 individual awards and 3 team awards. The 9 individual awards also include the 1 award for National Geoscience Award for Lifetime Achievement and 1 award for the National Young Geoscientist Award.

The National Geoscience Award for Lifetime Achievement was conferred upon Prof. Dhiraj Mohan Banerjee, Emeritus Scientist, INSA and the National Young Geoscientist Award was presented to Dr. Ashutosh Pandey, Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Thiruvananthapuram. The final list of awardees for the National Geoscience Awards 2023 that were conferred by the Hon’ble President of India is given below.

 

  1. The National Geoscience Award for Lifetime Achievement 2023 was bestowed upon Prof. Dhiraj Mohan Banerjee, Emeritus Scientist at the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), for his outstanding contributions to the field of geosciences.
  2. Section I – Mineral Discovery & Exploration (excluding fossil fuels) of economic and/or strategic importance and application of innovative techniques: Two Geological Survey of India (GSI) teams were recognized for their exemplary work in the discovery and exploration of minerals, excluding fossil fuels, of economic and strategic importance.
  • The first team consisted of Shri Abhishek Kumar Shukla, Senior Geologist; Smt. Danira Stephen Dsilva, Senior Geologist; Shri Parsuram Behera, Director; and Dr. M.N. Praveen, Deputy Director General.
  • The second team included Shri Sanjay Singh, Director; Shri Shailendra Kumar Prajapati, Senior , Shri Shashank Shekhar Singh, and Shri Kevinguzo Chasie.

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  • In the field of Coal, Lignite, and Coal Bed Methane Discovery & Exploration, along with Oil, Natural Gas, Shale Gas, and Gas Hydrates Discovery & Exploration, Dr. Pawan Dewangan, Senior Principal Scientist at CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, received an individual award for his innovative contributions.
  1. Section II – Mining, Mineral Beneficiation, and Sustainable Mineral Development: Dr. Harsh Kumar Verma, Senior Principal Scientist at CSIR-Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research, Bilaspur, was awarded in the field of Mining Technology including development and application of new methods and technologies, research & development.
  • Prof. Narasimha Mangadoddy received an individual award in the field of  Mineral Beneficiation (including mineral processing, project development for utilization of low-grade ores & production of value-added mineral products and mineral economics) and Sustainable Mineral Development (including mine closure, project development, institutional development and capacity building).
  1. Section III – Dr. Rahul Mohan, Scientist at the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa, won an award for his work in Basic Geosciences including Stratigraphy, Structural Geology, Paleontology, Geodynamics, Geochemistry, Geochronology and Isotope Geology, Ocean Development (Oceanography and Marine Geology), Glaciology and Arctic & Antarctic Research including Geo-Scientific Expeditions; and science surveys/baseline geoscience data collection including Geological and Geochemical mapping & survey, and Systematic Thematic mapping.
  • Another GSI team, composed of Shri Krishna Kumar, Director; Dr. Pragya Pandey, Geologist; Ms. Triparna Ghosh, Geologist; and Shri Debasish Bhattacharya, Deputy Director General, won the Team award in the same section for their contributions to basic geosciences.
  1. Section IV – Applied Geosciences: Prof. Vikram Vishal from the Department of Earth Sciences at IIT Bombay was awarded for his contributions to applied geology including Engineering Geology, Geothermal Energy, Seismotectonics, Geostatistics, Remote Sensing and Geo-Information System (including spatial data management applications and data integration); Groundwater Exploration (including project development, hydrogeological studies and management of groundwater resources; Geo-Environmental Studies relating to mining, urban, industrial, coastal and desert management, paleoclimate, paleoenvironment, medical geology, climate change and studies related to their impact on ecosystem.
  • Dr. Bantu Prasanta Kumar Patro received an award in the field of Geophysics / Applied Geophysics including new technologies in geophysical exploration, application of geophysical methods, geo-magnetism, geophysical survey techniques and instrumentation.
  • Prof. Srimath Tirumala Gudemella Raghukanth was awarded in the field of Natural Hazard Investigations including scientific studies related to natural hazards such as earthquakes, landslides, floods and tsunamis.
  1. National Young Geoscientist Award 2023 was presented to Dr. Ashutosh Pandey, Assistant Professor at the School of Earth, Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Thiruvananthapuram, for his promising contributions to geosciences.

President’s Address

In her address, President Murmu emphasized the importance of achieving self-sufficiency in mineral production as a key component of India's goal to become a developed nation by 2047. She highlighted the government's efforts, such as the National Geoscience Data Repository Portal and the National Critical Minerals Mission, which are crucial for better understanding and utilizing the nation's natural resources.

The President also announced the establishment of the National Landslide Forecasting Centre in Kolkata, which aims to provide early warnings for landslide-prone areas, helping to minimize the impact of such natural disasters. She encouraged the youth to appreciate India's rich geological heritage and explore opportunities in geo-tourism, which can serve as a gateway into the field of geosciences.

 Objectives and Scope

The primary objective of the NGA is to honour individuals and teams for outstanding contributions in mineral discovery and exploration, basic and applied geosciences, mining, and related fields. The awards aim to highlight and reward significant advancements in these areas that contribute to the country's progress in mineral production and sustainable development.

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 Award Categories

The NGA comprises three distinct award categories:

1. National Geoscience Award for Lifetime Achievement: Awarded to an individual for a lifetime of significant contributions to the geosciences.

2. National Geoscience Award: Given to individuals or teams for notable work in the fields of earth sciences over the past decade.

3. National Young Geoscientist Award: Presented to an individual below 35 years of age, recognizing their promising contributions to the field.

 

 Eligibility Criteria

  1. Any citizen of India who is a professionally qualified geoscientist/engineer/technologist/academician, having a meritorious background with significant contribution in geosciences and allied fields shall be eligible for consideration of the Awards.
  2. National Geoscience Award and National Young Geoscientist Award shall be given on the basis of contributions made through work done for the most part in India, in the past ten years preceding the year of the award. The ten-year criterion shall not apply for the Award for Lifetime Achievement.
  3. A nomination for a team award can comprise a maximum of four members. The number of team awards shall not exceed five.
  4. The Award for Lifetime Achievement and the Young Geoscientist Award shall be given to individuals, not teams. For Young Geoscientist Award the individual should be below 35 years of age as on the 31st December of the preceding year, in which the nominations are invited.
  5. A person who has been awarded once in a field would not be considered for an award for the second time in that particular field. However, the person can apply in other fields.

 

  1. An awardee of the Award for Lifetime Achievement cannot apply for any award.

 

  1. A certificate from the head of institution/head of department / supervisory officer that the work has been done by the respective nominee is desirable but not mandatory.

 

 Recognition and Rewards

Awardees receive a cash prize and a certificate, with the cash prizes as follows:

  1. National Geoscience Award for Lifetime Achievement: ₹5,00,000.
  2. National Geoscience Award: ₹3,00,000 (equally divided in case of a team).
  3. National Young Geoscientist Award: ₹1,00,000 plus a research grant of ₹5,00,000 spread over five years, subject to satisfactory yearly progress.

 Nomination and Selection Process

Nominations can be made by individuals, team members, former awardees, or heads of institutions. The selection process involves scrutiny by Sectional Scrutiny Committees (SSC) and further evaluation by the Screening Committee of Experts (SCE). The final recommendations are made to the Award Making Authority (AMA), with shortlisted candidates for certain awards possibly invited for presentations and interviews.

Conclusion

From the lifetime achievements of seasoned experts to the innovative endeavors of young scientists, these awards recognize the critical role geosciences play in the sustainable development and mineral self-sufficiency of the nation. As India strides toward its goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047, the importance of these contributions cannot be overstated. The awards not only celebrate individual excellence but also inspire future generations to explore and innovate within the vast and vital domain of geosciences.

References

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2046669

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2046866

https://mines.gov.in/webportal/home

https://awards.gov.in/Home/AwardLibrary

https://x.com/mygovindia/status/1825907019242430792/photo/1

https://x.com/PIB_India/status/1825875687665971468/photo/2

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