| Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology | |
| Awarded For: | Research in science in India |
| Presenter: | Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Government of India |
| Location: | Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi |
| Year: | 1958 |
| Year2: | 2023 |
| Website: | Bhatnagar Prize website |
The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology (SSB) was a science award in India given annually by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for notable and outstanding research, applied or fundamental, in biology, chemistry, environmental science, engineering, mathematics, medicine, and physics. The prize recognized outstanding Indian work (according to the view of CSIR awarding committee) in science and technology. It was the most coveted award in multidisciplinary science in India.[1] [2] The award was named after the founder Director of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar.[3] It was first awarded in 1958 and last awarded in 2023. Govt of India discontinued the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology from the year 2024 and replaced it by the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar award.[4] [5]
Any citizen of India engaged in research in any field of science and technology up to the age of 45 years was eligible for the prize. The prize was awarded on the basis of contributions made through work done in India only during the five years preceding the year of the prize. The prize comprised a citation, a plaque, and a cash award of .[6] In addition, recipients also received ₹15,000 per month up to the age of 65 years.
Names of candidates were proposed by a member of the governing body of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Vice-Chancellors of universities or institutes of national importance, and deans of different faculties of science and former awardees. Selection was made by the Advisory Committee constituted each year and necessarily consists of at least six experts including at least one former Bhatnagar Awardee in the respective discipline. At least 2/3 agreement of the members was required for selection. If two nominees were unanimously recommended in the same field because of equal merit, both are awarded.[6]
The prize was divided into seven disciplines, namely:
Each discipline could have multiple winners (maximum 2 individuals).[7] Up until 2007, the prize money was and was raised to in 2008.[8]
The names of the recipients were traditionally declared by the Director General on every 26 September, which is the CSIR Foundation Day.[9] The prize was distributed by the Prime Minister of India. The awardee was bound to give a lecture in the area of the award, generally outside his/her city of work.[6]