National GeoScience Award | 26 Jul 2023

Why in News?

On July 24, 2023, President Draupadi Murmu presented the prestigious National Geoscience Awards- 2022 (NGA) of the Ministry of Mines to Dr. Vikram Gupta, scientist of Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geoscience, Dehradun, at a grand ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Center.

Key Points:

• It is to be noted that the National Geoscience Awards - 2022 (NGA) honored 22 Geo-science including working professionals and academicians from across the country under three categories - one National Geo-Science Award for Lifetime Achievement, one National Young Geoscientist Award and eight National Geo-Science Awards in different fields of Geo-Science.
• The National Geo-Science Award for Lifetime Achievement was given to Dr. Om Narayan Bhargava (Honorary Professor, Department of Geoscience, Panjab University, Chandigarh). He is known for his remarkable work in the Himalayas over the last four decades.
• The National Young Geoscientist Award was presented to Dr. Amiya Kumar Samal, Assistant Professor, Banaras Hindu University. He has made significant contributions to understanding the heterogeneity of the sub-continental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) beneath the various Archaean cratons of the Indian surface.
• Dr. Vikram Gupta, Scientist, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geoscience, Dehradun, was awarded the National Geo-Science Award jointly with Dr. Saibal Ghosh (Deputy Director General, Geological Survey of India, Kolkata) for the investigation of natural hazards under Applied Geoscience, which includes scientific studies related to natural hazards like earthquakes, landslides, floods and tsunamis.
• Dr. Vikram Gupta has been awarded the National Geo-Science s Award (NGA) for his contribution to studies around natural hazards, especially landslides in the Himalayan region.
• Dr. Vikram Gupta has traced major landslide hot spots and potential landslide sites in the Himalayan region. These are such large landslide zones, which can create a great danger to the population by making temporary dams on the river flowing along them. After doing such study in Himachal's Sutlej, now he is expanding the study in Uttarakhand's Alaknanda valley as well. So far, he has published more than 85 papers on landslides in international journals.
• It is noteworthy that the National Geo-Science Awards (NGA), instituted in 1966, is a symbol of respect and appreciation for exceptional individuals and organizations who have demonstrated excellence, dedication and innovation in the field of Geo-Science s. These awards are given in the fields of mineral exploration and exploration, basic Geoscience, applied Geo-Science and mining, mineral beneficiation and sustainable mineral development.
• A total of 173 nominations were received for the National Geo-Science Award-2022. The number of valid nominations under the three award categories is 168. Out of a total of 12 awards, the AMA has finally selected 10 awards, including 4 individual awards, 3 team awards and 3 joint awards. The 4 individual awards also include an award for the National Geo-Science Award for Lifetime Achievement and another for the National Young Geoscientist Award.