Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatraya on Monday stressed the need for quality science and technology education at the school level to realize the dream of a new and modern India.

Speaking at the Haryana Vigyan Ratna Award and Haryana Yuva Vigyan Ratna award distribution function at Raj Bhavan on the occasion of National Science Day on Monday, the Governor said better laboratories should be made available to students in all universities and colleges so that students can undertake new research works.

This apart, universities should get patents for research at its level so that the dream of ‘Vocal for Local’ will come true and the country will become self-reliant, he added.

The Governor presented awards to 11 scientists, out of which two women scientists were honoured with the Haryana Vigyan Ratna Award. This is the first time in the history of Haryana that two women have been conferred with this award.

Outstanding scientists of Haryana Prof Neeraj Jain and Prof Mukesh Jain were honoured with Haryana Vigyan Ratna Award for 2019, while Prof Motilal Madan and Dr Sushila Mann were honoured with the Haryana Vigyan Ratna Award for the year 2020, and Dr Chetan Prakash Kaushik and Dr Elora Sen for the year 2021. They were honoured with a citation, trophy, shawl and cash amounting to Rs 4 lakh as an award.

Dattatraya gave away Haryana Yuva Vigyan Ratna Award to Dr Pooja Devi and Dr Ram Jiwari for the year 2019, Dr Pawan Kumar and Shri Satish Khurana for the year 2020 and Dr Kalpana Nagpal for the year 2021.

They have presented a citation, trophy, shawl and cash amounting to Rs one lakh as an award. The Governor said during the Coronavirus pandemic, the scientists of India proved their mettle and merit globally by preparing vaccines to prevent infection of Covid-19. These vaccines have been to more than 90 countries of the world. This is a wonderful work done by the scientists of India, he said.

Haryana Chief Minister Shri Manohar Lal said education of science is being promoted by the government at the school and college level and scholarships are being provided to the students in many fields. He said that it is the endeavour of the government that young scientists should get awards at the state level and they move forward for the progress of the country.