The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee will present Visitor’s Awards for Central Universities in the categories of ‘Best University’, ‘Innovation’ and ‘Research’ for the year 2015 at a function to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on February 4, 2015. This function will coincide with the third Conference of Vice Chancellors of Central Universities scheduled to be held from February 4-5, 2015.
The Visitor’s Award for the ‘Best University’ will be awarded to University of Hyderabad.
Visitor’s Award for ‘Innovation’ will be given to Prof. Vijay K. Chaudhary and Dr. Amita Gupta of University of Delhi who have invented ‘TB Confirm’, a rapid diagnostic test for Tuberculosis.
The Visitor’s Award for ‘Research’ will be presented to Cosmology and Astrophysics Research Group, Centre for Theoretical Physics, Jamia Millia Islamia for path breaking research carried out in the field of Astrophysics and Cosmology.
The ‘Best University’ will receive a Citation and Trophy while winners of Visitors’ Award for ‘Innovation’ and ‘Research’ will receive a Citation and cash award of Rs. one lakh.
The President had announced institution of these awards at the Vice Chancellors’ Conference last year with the aim of promoting healthy competition amongst Central Universities and motivating them to adopt best practices from across the world.
For selecting the winners, online applications were invited from all Central Universities for each category. A Selection Committee comprising of Smt. Omita Paul, Secretary to the President as Chairperson and Secretary, Department of Higher Education, MHRD; Secretary, Department of Science & Technology; Chairman, UGC; Chairperson and Vice Chairpersons of National Innovation Foundation; Director-General, Council for Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) and Director IIT Delhi as members chose the winners of the Awards