The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur proudly hosted the Saroj Chandrashekhar Memorial Award Ceremony, 2025, a distinguished event celebrating excellence in Biosciences and Biotechnology. This prestigious award, instituted by the Chandrasekhar Foundation, commemorates the inspiring legacy of Professor Saroj Chandrasekhar, a trailblazer in tuberculosis research.

Professor Chandrasekhar's exceptional career began with a B.Sc. from St. Xavier's College, University of Bombay, in 1947, followed by a Ph.D. in Bacteriology from Imperial College of Science and Technology, UK, in 1950. Her academic journey and pioneering contributions culminated in leadership roles at the Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi. She also served as visiting faculty at Johns Hopkins University from 1966 to 1969. Her groundbreaking work on the pathogenesis of tuberculosis laid the foundation for advancements in understanding and treating the disease, inspiring generations of researchers.

The award ceremony featured inspiring keynote addresses by Professor Sujata Sharma and Dr. Nagma Parveen. Professor Sharma, an acclaimed structural biologist and biophysicist from the Department of Biophysics, AIIMS New Delhi, has received numerous national and international accolades, including the Women Scientist of the Year Award (2006) and the SERB Power Fellowship (2021).

Dr. Nagma Parveen, faculty at the Department of Chemistry, IIT Kanpur, shared insights from her cutting-edge research on virus kinetics, focusing on virus–membrane interactions and the development of antiviral strategies.

As a gesture of appreciation, Professor Thakur presented mementos to the keynote speakers for their valuable contributions.

The Saroj Chandrashekhar Memorial Award 2025 recognized three exceptional young women scientists for their outstanding doctoral research. Yogita Kapoor, from the CSIR–Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, received recognition for her dissertation titled "Investigating the role of DivIVA-domain containing proteins in mycobacterial growth and division." Harsha Rani, from the Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology at Manipal Academy of Higher Education, was acknowledged for her work on "Investigating alterations in the epigenetic landscape in p53 deficient or mutant colorectal cancer." Lastly, Ankita Menon, from IIT Palakkad, earned recognition for her dissertation "Development of Surface Modified MXene Based Electrochemical Biosensors for the Detection of Biomarkers and Drug Molecules."

These awards highlight their significant contributions to the scientific community and underline the importance of encouraging women in STEM. The ceremony concluded with a heartfelt vote of thanks from the organizing committee, acknowledging the awardees, esteemed speakers, and all participants for making the event a resounding success. The event paid homage to a scientific pioneer and served as a beacon for aspiring women researchers in India and beyond.

About IIT Kanpur:

The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, established in 1959, holds the distinction of being recognized as an Institute of National Importance by the Government of India through an Act of Parliament. Renowned for its excellence in science and engineering education, IIT Kanpur has made significant contributions to research and development over the decades. Its expansive, lush green campus spans 1,050 acres and hosts a rich array of academic and research resources. The institute comprises 19 departments, 26 centers, three interdisciplinary programs, and two specialized schools across engineering, science, design, humanities, and management disciplines. With over 590 full-time faculty members and more than 9,500 students, IIT Kanpur continues to be a leader in fostering innovation and academic rigor.

For more information, visit www.iitk.ac.in.