In 2023, the GoI instituted the “Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar,” similar to the Padma Awards, for outstanding achievements in science, technology and innovation. There are 56 awards under four categories: Vigyan Ratna Award (VR, 3), the highest honour; Vigyan Shri (VS, 25); Vigyan Yuva“Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (VY-SSB, 25) for scientists below 45 years of age; and Vigyan Team (VT, 3) for collaborative efforts by a group of three or more individuals. The first Vigyan Ratna Award was given in 2024 to biochemist Dr G. Padmanaban.
In the 2025 awards, eight have been conferred with VS, 14 with VY-SSB and one with VT. The VR has been posthumously given to the late Dr Jayant Narlikar, the “Father of Indian Cosmology,” who passed away on May 20. Since January 2025, besides Dr Narlikar, India has lost four other leading scientists: Dr R. Chidambaram (January 4), who played a vital role in the 1974 Pokhran-I and 1998 Pokhran-II nuclear tests; Dr K. Kasturirangan (April 25, 2025), former Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation; Dr S. Ghose (May 17), the “Father of India’s Science Museum”; and Dr M.R. Srinivasan (May 20), former Secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and founder-chairman of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd.
Firstly, in 2024, three of the above five scientists could have been honoured with the VR during their lifetime. Secondly, posthumous awards are a good way to remember the contributions of a scientist but serve less purpose. Thirdly, in the fitness of things, the other four deceased scientists too could have been honoured with the VR. The rule of a maximum of three scientists could have been relaxed or waived as an exception, unless there were some political compulsions not to do so. Anyway, even during their lifetime, all the above scientists did not hanker for positions, awards or rewards but served India quietly and with distinction, placing the country on the global scientific map.
