Honours and Awards-5: Chennai-born Scientist Honored

Hasan Suroor writes in The Hindu of March 27, 2010: "Chennai-born Shankar Balasubramanian of Cambridge University has been named Innovator of the Year by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Britain's leading agency for academic research and training in non-clinical life sciences.

He has been awarded 10,000 Pounds in recognition of his work on Solexa sequencing, the high speed genome sequencing technology. The award, now in its second year, is meant to encourage research that has practical impact on quality of life.

...

Prof.Balasubramanian, whose parents moved to Britain a year after he was born, graduated in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University and went on to do a PhD. He worked with David Klenerman of the department of chemistry, to invent low-cost and high-speed genome sequencing technology.

Excerpt from The Hindu, Trichy, March 27, 2010.

For further details from BBSRC Websiste:
http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/media/releases/2010/100319-dna-sequencing-pioneer-innovator.aspx

Grateful thanks to Hasan Suroor, The Hindu and BBSRC.

Honours and Awards-4: "Kalam Honoured!"

Dr A.P.J.Abdul Kalam has been awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws by Queen's University, Belfast, Northern Ireland for his distinguished public service. At the honouring ceremony, the University's Vice-Chancellor, Dr Peter Gregson described Dr.Kalam as an outstanding world statesman, scientist, educator and visionary who had inspired millions in India and around the world.

In his reply, Dr Kalam called for pooling global resources for common good. He said that in today's borderless world, countries could not afford to remain isolated as problems affecting one country had implications for others also.

Dr Kalam said that he had noticed anxiety among youth on how to deal with a world devastated by conflict. But he expressed the belief that youth could do it. He called for imaginative leadership to bring people together and build a peaceful world.

Source: "You can do it, Kalam tells youth" by Special Correspondent, The Hindu, June 12, 2009.

Grateful thanks to The Hindu, India's National Newspaper.

Honours and Awards-3: "Postal Stamps of Darwin"

To commemorate the 200th birth anniversary of Charles Darwin, the propounder the Theory of Evolution, Britain has released a set of Ten Postal Stamps.

Darwin also appears on the Bank of Britain's £10 note.

Courtesy: AFP and The Hindu, Madurai, Feb.13, 2009.

Detailed Wikipedia articles on "CHARLES DARWIN" and "THE COMPLETE WORKS OF CHARLES DARWIN ONLINE":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Darwin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Complete_Works_of_Charles_Darwin_Online

Works of Charles Darwin at Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/d#a485

Grateful thanks to AFP, The Hindu, Project Gutenberg and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Honours and Awards-2: "Dr Mani Lal Bhaumik"

Quoting IANS, SiliconIndia.com informs of a Rare Honour for Indian American Scientist, Dr.Mani Bhaumik. He has been chosen as the Sole Patron for the International year of Astronomy 2009. This year is being observed by UNESCO and The International Astronomical Association as the International Year of Astronomy to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Galileo's astronomical telescope.

Dr Bhaumik is a world-renowned physicist, best-selling author and inventor of excimer laser which is used for eyesight correction. This method popularly known as Lasik Surgery has helped more than fifteen million people world over. He is a multi-millionaire and philanthropist, with hundreds of patents.

More on Dr Bhaumik:

Detailed article on Dr.Mani Bhaumik from Wikipedia (with his photo):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mani_Lal_Bhaumik

"Mani Lal Bhaumik: HELPING THE KIDS STAY AFLOAT"

http://www.prideofindia.net/mani.html

"Code Name Success" from Indian Life & Style, A Lifestyle Magazine for the Indian American Community (with many color photographs):

http://www.indianlifeandstyle.com/ILS-Sept-Oct05/looking%20glass.htm

Grateful thanks to IANS, SiliconIndia.com, PrideofIndia.net, indianlifeandstyle.com and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

====================Honours and Awards: "Bharat Ratna to Bhimsen Joshi"

Noted Hindustani classical vocalist, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi (87) was presented with Bharat Ratna, country's highest civilian award, at his residence in Pune on February 10, 2009.

The award, announced after a gap of seven years, was last given to melody queen, Lata Mangeshkar and shenai maestro, Ustad Bismillah Khan.

The vocalist, whose name was announced for the award on November 5 last, had requested that on account of his frail health he may be allowed to receive the award at his residence and that the presentation may be a low-key affair.

Accordingly, in deference to the wishes of Bhimsen and his family, the award was presented at his residence.

Bhimsen is the sixth person from the field of art and culture to get Bharat Ratna after Satyajit Ray, M.S.Subbulakshmi, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Lata Mangeshkar and Ustad Bismillah Khan. - PTI

Courtesy: PTI and The Hindu, Madurai, February 11, 2009.

Detailed Wikipedia articles on "BHARAT RATNA" and "BHIMSEN JOSHI":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bharat_Ratna

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhimsen_Joshi

Grateful thanks to PTI, The Hindu and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.