 | 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. |
SSB Prizes, each of the value of Rs 2,00,000 (Rupees two lakh only), 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 award is given as the recognition of outstanding Indian work in science and technology.
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 is eligible to apply.
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. (For this purpose ‘primarily’ will mean ‘for the most part’)
About Prof. Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (1894-1955):
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Prof. Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (Source: Google and Zuula images)
He was the Director-General of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.
Bhatnagar was born on 21 February 1894 at Bhera, in the district of Shapur in Punjab (now in Pakistan). When he was barely 8 months old, his father Parmeshwari Sahai died, and the entire family moved to leave with his grand father (mother’s side) Munshi Pyare Lal at Sikandarabad, Dist. Bulandshahar, UP. He studies for few years at A. V. High School, Sikandarabad.
Shanti came to Lahore in 1908 and joined Dyal Singh High School. At school, Shanti developed an absorbing interest in science, “delighting in scientific experiments.” In 1911, schoolboy Shanti published a letter to the editor in The Leader newspaper (Allahabad) about how to make a substitute for carbon electrodes in a battery, by using molasses and carbonaceous matter under pressure and heat.
On matriculation in 1911, he joined Dyal Singh College under University scholarship. Bhatnagar was greatly inspired by his professor N. N. Godbole, whose enthusiasm for indigenous industrial products he imbibed. In 1913, after finishing his intermediate exam in first division, Bhatnagar joined Forman Christian College, where ‘he did not allow any distraction from his studies in science.” After completing his B. Sc in 1916, he took upon some college assignments and also studied for M. Sc, which he completed in 1919. As part of his degree, he studied surface tension of water.
He joined University of London under private scholarship (1919-1921) and earned D. Sc. degree on surface tension of oils. A travel grant from British department of scientific and industrial research enabled Bhatnagar to visit France and Germany.
Bhatnagar returned to India in August 1921 and he joined the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) as Professor of Chemistry. It may be noted that the BHU was founded by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya in 1916. Bhatnagar stayed for three years in BHU and during this short span of time he was able to create an active school of physico-chemical research. Bhatnagar wrote the ‘Kulgeet’ (University song) of the University. Justice N.H. Bhagwati, Vice-Chancellor of BHU said: "Many of you perhaps do not know that besides being an eminent scientist, Professor Bhatnagar was a Hindi poet of repute and that during his stay in Banaras, he composed the ‘Kulgeet’ of the University...Prof. Bhatnagar is remembered with reverence in this University and will continue to be so remembered till this University exists."
In 1924, 30-year old Bhatnagar was appointed as Director of Universal Chemical Laboratories, Lahore. The laboratory worked on problems in industrial and applied chemistry brought in by agriculturists and industrialists. He was awarded British Order of Empire in 1936 by British Government.
In August 1940, Bhatnagar took over as Director of the Board of Scientific and Industrial Research, dividing his time between Delhi and Calcutta. To give scientific research more freedom government set up autonomous Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) on 26 September, 1942 (celebrated as CSIR foundation day). Bhatnagar remained as its head for 12 years, from its inception till his death in January 1, 1955.
Bhatnagar concurrently held a number of posts in the government. In 1948 and 1949, he worked as secretary to the ministry of education, and educational advisor to the Government of India. He became the first secretary to the ministry of natural resources and scientific research, which was set up in 1951. He was also the secretary of Atomic Energy Commission and later became chairman of the University Grants Commission.
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru said: "I would like to pay a tribute to Dr. Bhatnagar, who, I think, has done; I say this with respect to others, more than anyone else for the scientific development in India. I can truly say that but for Dr. Bhatnagar, you could not have seen today the chain of National Laboratories in India."
(Condensed from online resources as listed below)
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Additional links:
- Govt. announces SS Bhatnagar award to 11 scientists for the year 2007:
- Information about Award rules, Awardees for the years 1958-1998, etc.
- S S Bhatnagar: Life and Times-By Rajesh Kochhar
http://www.ias.ac.in/resonance/April2002/pdf/April2002p82-89.pdf
- Prof. S. S. Bhatnagar (February 21, 1894 — January 1, 1955)
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2000/20000319/spectrum/main2.htm
- Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar
http://www.vigyanprasar.gov.in/scientists/ssbhatnagar/ShantiSwarupBhatnagar.htm