This year, two scientists in Chemical Sciences were announced as the winners of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, the highest award in science of India, at a function celebrating the foundation day of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Both the recipients of the award of 2018 Dr. Swadhin K Mandal and Dr. Rahul Banerjee are from the Department of Chemical Sciences of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata. IISERs established by the Ministry of Human Resources only twelve years ago are already among the premier institutes in this country in scientific research and education. The award to Dr. Mandal and Dr. Banerjee bears the mark of this research excellence. This is the first time since its inception that any IISER scientist has been awarded with the prestigious S. S. Bhatnagar Prize in the area of Chemical Sciences. Professor Sourav Pal the Director of IISER Kolkata said “This is a particularly significant moment in the history of our young institute. For two of our faculties to receive this coveted award in the same year and in same subject is particularly pleasing. IISER Kolkata has been doing well as evidenced by several parameters and the two SSB awards, the first in our history and also part of the first set of awards in the IISER system, only highlights the excellence that IISER Kolkata has reached. I am particularly happy and congratulate Prof Mandal and Prof Banerjee for their achievements and making us proud. I am thankfull to all concerned for creating excellent ecosystem of research at IISER Kolkata.”
Source: IISER Kolkata
