New Delhi: Prithviraj Chavan, Minister of state for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences felicitated the award winners at a function organized in connection with National Science Day in Technology Bhawan here yesterday.

Along with each award, a memento and a citation was presented.

Earlier the National Council for Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC), department of Science and Technology, govt. of India announced its annual national awards for Science & Technology communication for the year 2009 to recognize the outstanding work done in past five years by individual science communicators.

National award of Rs.1,00,000 for outstanding efforts in Science & Technology communication through books and magazines has been given to Dr. D.D. Ozha, Jodhpur (Rajasthan) for writing 23 books on energy, nanotechnology, water, Mars, Science and Vedas, environment, Moon, Sun, Earth, oceans, insects, biotechnology, soil etc, besides several popular science articles.

A similar award has been conferred upon N. Ramadurai, Chennai (Tamil Nadu) for his outstanding contribution as an author of popular science books in Tamil, namely Seyarkaikol (Satellites), Bhoomi (Earth), Kedal (Oceans), Sevvai (Mars) and Suriyan (Sun), besides a series of articles on 'Anu Sakthi' and a daily column 'Theriyumman' in popular newspapers.

National award of Rs.1,00,000 for outstanding effort in popularization of Science among children has been given to Takhellambam Robindro Singh, Thoubal (Manipur) for his contributions as guide teacher in National Children's Science Congress and mentoring students for making science models.

The same award for exceptional effort in Science and Technology Communication in print medium has been given to Dinesh Chandra Sharma, Rampur (Uttar Pradesh) for his popular science columns on the occasions of year of Scientific Awareness-2004 and Understanding Planet Earth-2009 including contributions in well known science magazines and newspapers.

National award of Rs.1,00,000 in Science and Technology Communication in electronic medium has been given to Dr. Manas Pratim Das, 24 Paraganas (West Bengal) for his outstanding contribution as an anchor and quizmaster, hosting talk shows on FM radio, making a series of radio plays and a documentary besides producing popular programmes like Lanthan Theke Laser and Mahakashe Bharat in Bengali.

The Kalinga Chair for the year 2009 was awarded to Prof. Yash Pal, Chancellor, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi and Prof. Trinh X. Thuan, Department of Astronomy, USA on this occasion for their invaluable contributions in communicating science to people, who have jointly won the International UNESCO Kalinga Prize for Science Popularization for the year 2009.

Government of India recognizes the efforts by conferring the Kalinga Chair on the UNESCO Kalinga prize winners, who are invited to deliver lectures on science communication to various target groups for a period of two to four weeks as a guest of the government of India. The chair comprises of a token amount of US $5000.

Dr. T. Ramasami, Secretary, Dept. of Science & Technology, govt. of India presided over the function.

Dr. Kamal Kant Dwivedi, Adviser & Head, NCSTC told that various science communication activities, such as science exhibitions, quiz competitions and science activity camps are being organized in various parts of the country to mark the National Science Day and spreading scientific awareness at grass root level.

The focal theme for this year's National Science Day is 'Gender Equity for Prosperity with Peace.'