Five scientists and engineers including Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief S Somanath have been chosen for the Distinguished Alumni Awards of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) for the year 2023.    

The annual awards recognise exceptional contributions made by IISc alumni to their profession, society and the Institute. The nominations received are evaluated by a committee chaired by the Director, IISc.

The five awardees:

DN Prahlad: The founder of Surya Software Systems Private Limited, Bengaluru, played a key role in the growth of Infosys Technologies. Presently, he is the Non-Executive Chairman of Surya Software Systems Private Limited, Surya Financial Technologies Private Limited, and Surya Digitech Private Limited.

Prof K K Ramakrishnan: A distinguished Professor at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California, Riverside, USA, he has published over 250 papers and has 173 patents in his name. He has been acknowledged for his contributions to solving fundamental problems in building the internet, specifically in network interface design, congestion control, network virtualisation, and operating system support, impacting nearly all network adapters and operating system designs in the world today.

Prof Mrinalini Chatta Rao: A professor Emerita at the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois, USA, she has pioneered research on elucidating the molecular basis of cell signalling, specifically on intestinal epithelial ion transport in health and diseases such as cystic fibrosis. She has also contributed to the most definitive textbook in the field of gastroenterology.

S Somanath: The chairman of ISRO and Secretary of the Department of Space, under whose leadership, ISRO carried out Chandrayaan-3, making India the first country to successfully land a spacecraft near the lunar south pole and the fourth country to demonstrate a soft landing on the moon. He previously served as the Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre and the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre at Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.

Dr Dheepa Srinivasan: Now serving as the chief engineer at the Pratt & Whitney Research and development Center on the IISc campus, she has over 35 patents in her name, and has developed more than 50 technologies and process applications that are now running in several gas turbines and steam turbines. She is a pioneer in the area of metal 3D printing or additive manufacturing, and has developed several applications for metal laser additive manufacturing.

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