By IANS,
New Delhi : Anil Kakodkar, head of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and one of the architects of the India-US nuclear deal, and G. Madhavan Nair, chief of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) that launched the lunar mission last year, are honoured with the Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian honour.
Kakodkar, part of the team that negotiated the nuclear agreement with the US, also presented India’s case before the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) last year, leading to the green signal from the global atomic watchdog, re-opening doors of nuclear trade for India after nearly three decades of isolation.
Madhavan Nair supervised the Indian space programme’s big leap last year as the ISRO launched Chanrayaan-1 mission to moon, and put the country among the select group of nations and players that have mastered the art and science of space probe.
According to the official announcement, the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian honours, goes to the following in the science and engineering category:
* Bhakta B. Rath, associate director of research of the Naval Research Laboratory, the US
* Conjeevaram Srirangachari Seshadri, director of the Channai Mathematical Institute
* Gurdip Singh Randhawa
* Sam Pitroda, technocrat and chairman of the National Knowledge Commission
* Sarvagya Singh Katiyar
* Thomas Kailath, professor of engineering, Stanford University, US
The Padma Shri, the next highest civilian honour, goes to the following in the science and engineering category:
* Syed Iqbal Hasnain, for his research on Himalayan glaciers
* Goriparthi Narasimha Raju Yadav, agriculture scientist
* Pramod Tandon, specialises in molecular biology and biochemistry, vice-chancellor of the North-Eastern Hill University