Chief Minister M K Stalin has announced a cash award of Rs 25 lakh for each of the nine distinguished Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists from Tamil Nadu. This recognition and cash award are a tribute to their valuable contributions to the nation. Among these scientists is former ISRO chairman K Sivan who played a part in India's moon and sun missions.
The other eight scientists are former Director of ISRO’s Satellite Centre Mylswamy Annadurai, Director of ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre V Narayanan, ISRO’s Launch Authorisation Board chief A Rajarajan, Director of UR Rao Satellite Centre M Sankaran, ISRO’s Propulsion Complex Director J Asir Packiaraj, Project Director of the Chandrayaan-2 lunar mission V Vanitha, Project Director of the Aditya-L1 mission Nigar Shaji and Chandrayaan-3 Project Director P Veeramuthuvel.
CM Stalin highlighted Tamil scientists' contributions
During a special event held to honour the ISRO scientists from Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister Stalin highlighted the significance of Tamil scientists' contributions to missions like Chandrayaan-3. Recalling the words of former Chief Minister C N Annadurai, he said the late leader had wondered aloud why Tamil Nadu had not been the home of icons in the league of physicist Albert Einstein and inventor Thomas Alva Edison. "Today, however, the state has so many stalwarts in the field of science," Stalin said, listing the names of the noted ISRO personalities who hail from the state.
The Chief Minister emphasised the importance of scientific knowledge and expressed his pride in the fact that six out of the nine distinguished scientists had received their education in government schools within the state of Tamil Nadu. "They are from humble family backgrounds, born in small towns and by educating themselves, they have seen personal development, he said. First-generation graduates, they became scientists and among the nine, two are women, which symbolises social justice," he added.
Stalin announced a scholarship programme for nine engineering students
The Chief Minister also announced a scholarship programme for nine engineering students pursuing students. "A scholarship named after renowned scientists would be provided to nine postgraduate engineering students to nurture the spirit to make scientific inventions. A Rs 10 crore corpus would be set up for the purpose. All expenditures including tuition and hostel fees would be borne by the government," he added.
Government school students who studied undergraduate engineering courses by availing the 7.5 per cent reservation (and received financial assistance for the UG course from government) for state-run school students are eligible for the PG scholarship.
(With PTI inputs)
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