Six professors awarded Infosys Prize 2019 for science and research
Bengaluru, Nov 7: Six eminent professors have won the Infosys Prize 2019 across different categories of science and research, the software major's science foundation announced on Friday.
The annual award includes a pure gold medal, a citation and a prize purse worth USD 100,000 or its equivalent in the Indian rupees, the Infosys Science Foundation (ISF) said in a statement.
The winners of the Infosys Prize 2019 were announced across six categories -- Engineering and Computer Sciences, Humanities, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences.
A panel of accomplished jurors comprising renowned scholars and professors shortlisted the winners from 196 nominations.
"The Infosys Prize continues to recognise exemplary work in scientific research and enquiry," S. D. Shibulal, President of the ISF said in a statement.
"Many Infosys Prize laureates have gone on to contribute significantly in key areas like healthcare, genetics, climate science, astronomy and poverty alleviation, amongst other things. Their work has immediate implications for the human race and the planet, he said.
N.R. Narayana Murthy, Founder of Infosys and Trustee - ISF said, "We should start helping our youngsters pursue fundamental research enthusiastically.
"They should be encouraged and equipped to become contributors to solving huge problems that confront us every day. I want India to be a place where discovery and invention happen every month," Murthy said in a statement.
The Infosys Prize 2019 for Engineering and Computer Science is awarded to Professor Sunita Sarawagi from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay for her research in databases, data mining, machine learning and natural language processing, and for important applications of these research techniques, ISF said.
The foundation said Sarawagi's work has practical applications in helping clean up unstructured data like addresses on the web and in repositories which then helps in more efficient handling of queries.
In the field of Humanities, the prize has been given to Manu V. Devadevan, Assistant Professor at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mandi for his original and wide-ranging work on pre-modern South India.
He critically reinterprets much of the conventional wisdom about the cultural, religious and social history of the Deccan and South India, ISF said.
Manjula Reddy, Chief Scientist, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad bagged the prize in the field of Life Sciences for her "groundbreaking" discoveries concerning the structure of cell walls in bacteria.
Reddy and her colleagues have revealed critical steps of cell wall growth that are fundamental for understanding bacterial biology. This work could potentially help in creating a new class of antibiotics to combat antibiotic resistant microbes, according to ISF.
For Mathematical Sciences, the prize is awarded to Siddhartha Mishra, Professor at ETH Zurich in Switzerland, for his outstanding contributions to Applied Mathematics, particularly for designing numerical tools for solving problems in the real world.
Mishra's work has been used in climate models, in astrophysics, aerodynamics, and plasma physics. He has produced codes for complicated realistic problems such as tsunamis generated by rock slides, and waves in the solar atmosphere, according to ISF.
For Physical Sciences, the prize this year is awarded to G Mugesh, Professor at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru for his seminal work in the chemical synthesis of small molecules and nanomaterials for biomedical applications.
ISF said his work has contributed to the understanding of the role of trace elements, selenium and iodine, in thyroid hormone activation and metabolism, and this research has led to major medical advances.
Anand Pandian, Professor at Johns Hopkins University in the US, won the prize this year in the for Social Sciences category for his imaginative work on ethics, selfhood and the creative process, ISF said.
Pandian's research encompasses several themes such as cinema, public culture, ecology, nature and the theory and methods of anthropology, it said.
The Infosys Prize 2019 in Engineering and Computer Science is awarded to Prof. Sunita Sarawagi, Institute Chair Professor, Computer Science and Engineering, @iitbombay.#InfosysPrizehttps://t.co/m5nnTdtr86 pic.twitter.com/Ft3HGlR1wR
— Infosys Prize (@InfosysPrize) November 7, 2019
The Infosys Prize 2019 in Physical Sciences is awarded to Prof. G. Mugesh, Professor, Department of Inorganic & Physical Chemistry, @iiscbangalore.
— Infosys Prize (@InfosysPrize) November 7, 2019
Prof. Mugesh is welcomed to the dais with a thunderous applause to talk about his research!#InfosysPrizehttps://t.co/m5nnTdtr86 pic.twitter.com/5gAx8SLyfn
The Infosys Prize 2019 in Mathematical Sciences is awarded to Prof. Siddhartha Mishra, Professor of Applied Mathematics, @ETH_en.#InfosysPrizehttps://t.co/m5nnTdtr86 pic.twitter.com/I2SBdksoVl
— Infosys Prize (@InfosysPrize) November 7, 2019
The Infosys Prize 2019 in Life Sciences is awarded to Dr. Manjula Reddy, Chief Scientist, CSIR - Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology. @ccmb_csir #InfosysPrizehttps://t.co/m5nnTdtr86 pic.twitter.com/rGosKZMJZi
— Infosys Prize (@InfosysPrize) November 7, 2019
The Infosys Prize 2019 in Humanities is awarded to Prof. Manu V. Devadevan, Assistant Professor, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Mandi.#InfosysPrizehttps://t.co/m5nnTdtr86 pic.twitter.com/u5nfJSZ8hm
— Infosys Prize (@InfosysPrize) November 7, 2019
The Infosys Prize 2019 in Social Sciences is awarded to Prof. Anand Pandian, Associate Professor of Anthropology, @JohnsHopkins.#InfosysPrizehttps://t.co/m5nnTdtr86 pic.twitter.com/lETvMK2o3Y
— Infosys Prize (@InfosysPrize) November 7, 2019
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UP: Govt hospital staff booked for sexually assaulting woman in pretext of ultrasound test
Gorakhpur (PTI): A hospital employee was booked for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in the pretext of an ultrasound test here in the district women's hospital, police said on Saturday.
According to the complaint, the woman, a resident of the Gulriha area, visited the district women's hospital on Thursday morning for an ultrasound test.
She was directed to a room, where Abhimanyu Gupta was conducting ultrasounds. When her turn came, the accused allegedly stared at her and told her to remove all her clothes, claiming it was necessary for the test and that a massage would also be required, she said.
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The woman alleged that once she complied, the accused began making obscene advances and tried to force himself on her. When she screamed, he allegedly gagged her, abused her and threatened to kill her before pushing her out of the room.
She said her complaints within the hospital went unheard, forcing her to approach the police.
Taking cognisance of the complaint, the hospital administration constituted a three-member inquiry committee, officials said.
Senior consultant (paediatrics) Dr Jay Kumar said, "The woman has levelled serious allegations against a staff member. Senior officials have been informed, and a departmental inquiry is underway. Strict action will be taken if the charges are proved."
Kotwali Station House Officer Chatrapal Singh said a case has been registered, and efforts are on to nab the accused.
