President Droupadi Murmu to Present National Geoscience Awards 2023

President Droupadi Murmu to Present National Geoscience Awards 2023

President Droupadi Murmu will honor the recipients of the National Geoscience Awards 2023 at a ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre on Tuesday.

Overview of the National Geoscience Awards

The National Geoscience Award (NGA) is one of India’s oldest and most prestigious awards in the field of geosciences. Instituted by the Ministry of Mines in 1966, the NGA recognizes extraordinary achievements and outstanding contributions in geosciences.

History and Evolution

  • Original Name: The awards were originally known as the National Mineral Awards before 2009.
  • Objective: The NGA aims to honor individuals and teams for their significant contributions in areas such as mineral discovery and exploration, mining technology, mineral beneficiation, and fundamental/applied geosciences.

Eligibility Criteria

  • Who Can Apply: Any citizen of India who has made significant contributions to any field of geosciences is eligible for the award.

Categories of Awards

The National Geoscience Awards are presented annually in three categories:

  1. National Geoscience Award for Lifetime Achievement
  2. National Geoscience Award
  3. National Young Geoscientist Award

Selection Process for 2023

  • Nominations: For the 2023 awards, 240 nominations were received across various categories.
  • Screening: The nominations underwent a three-stage screening process.
  • Final Selection: After detailed deliberations, the Ministry of Mines selected 12 awards, including nine individual awards and three team awards.

Award Recipients

  • Lifetime Achievement Award: Prof. Dhiraj Mohan Banerjee, Emeritus Scientist at INSA, will receive the National Geoscience Award for Lifetime Achievement.
  • Young Geoscientist Award: Dr. Ashutosh Pandey, Assistant Professor at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Thiruvananthapuram, will be honored with the National Young Geoscientist Award.

The 12 awards will be presented to 21 geoscientists in the presence of distinguished geoscientists, scholars, policymakers, and industry leaders.


Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs):

  1. When will President Droupadi Murmu confer the National Geoscience Awards 2023?
    • A) Monday
    • B) Tuesday
    • C) Wednesday
    • D) Thursday
    Answer: B) Tuesday
  2. What was the original name of the National Geoscience Awards before 2009?
    • A) National Science Awards
    • B) National Mineral Awards
    • C) National Geology Awards
    • D) National Research Awards
    Answer: B) National Mineral Awards
  3. In which year were the National Geoscience Awards instituted?
    • A) 1960
    • B) 1965
    • C) 1966
    • D) 1970
    Answer: C) 1966
  4. Which award will Prof. Dhiraj Mohan Banerjee receive?
    • A) National Geoscience Award
    • B) National Young Geoscientist Award
    • C) National Geoscience Award for Lifetime Achievement
    • D) National Research Award
    Answer: C) National Geoscience Award for Lifetime Achievement
  5. How many awards were selected for the 2023 National Geoscience Awards?
    • A) 10
    • B) 12
    • C) 15
    • D) 20
    Answer: B) 12