Delhi, 25 September (H.S.):

President of India Droupadi Murmu will confer the prestigious National Geoscience Awards (NGA) 2024 at a ceremonial function scheduled for September 26, 2025, at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre, New Delhi. The event will also be attended by Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy and Minister of State for Coal and Mines Satish Chandra Dubey.Instituted in 1966 and among the nation’s oldest recognitions in the field, the awards were originally known as the National Mineral Awards until 2009.

The honours are presented annually by the Ministry of Mines to acknowledge extraordinary achievements and outstanding contributions in the domains of mineral discovery and exploration, mining technology, mineral beneficiation, and both fundamental and applied geosciences.For the 2024 edition, the Ministry received 208 nominations across three categories.

Following rigorous evaluation through a three-stage screening process, 12 awards were finalized, including nine individual recognitions and three team awards, with a total of 20 geoscientists set to be felicitated by the President.

Among the key honorees, the National Geoscience Award for Lifetime Achievement 2024 will be presented to Prof. Shyam Sundar Rai, Senior Scientist at the Indian National Science Academy and Visiting Professor at IISER Pune, for his exemplary contributions to the field.The National Young Geoscientist Award 2024 will be awarded to Shri Susobhan Neogi, Senior Geologist at the Geological Survey of India, recognizing his significant work in applied geosciences.

Other winners include distinguished experts and teams from premier institutions such as the Geological Survey of India (GSI), CSIR institutes, the University of Kashmir, IIT-Roorkee, and IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, covering fields that range from mineral exploration and oceanography to earthquake engineering, applied geophysics, and sustainable mining practices.

The ceremony on Friday is expected to be attended by eminent geoscientists, scholars, and policymakers, underscoring the nation’s continued emphasis on advancing geosciences for national and strategic development.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar