Chairman to PM’s Science Advisory Council visits

Prof. C. N. R. Rao, visited the school on 29 September 2011. He emphasized among the students the importance of self-confidence, independent thinking and hard discipline. One must dream and do what one loves to do and make it his occupation. There is no dearth of opportunities if one is courageous and creative to try new things. Dr. Nityanand, the eminent scientist and previous Chairman of the school’s Advisory Council, presided over the function. The Principal thanked the Professor for his visit and informed all assembled that the school nurtures self-confidence, independent thinking and discipline in children through protecting and nurturing their intelligence. The professor appreciated the school for this transformative education.

HIS BIO-DATA

PROFESSOR C.N.R. RAO National Research Professor, Linus Pauling Research Professor & Honorary President Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, India Born: June 30, 1934, Bangalore, India

Important academic positions:  a. Professor of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India (Head of Department and later Dean of Research of the Institute) (1963-76). b. Visiting Professor, Purdue University, 1967-68; 1982 (in part). c. Commonwealth Visiting Professor, University of Oxford and Fellow, St. Catherine’s College, Oxford (1974-75). d. Distinguished Visiting Professor, LaTrobe University, Melbourne, Australia. e. Jawaharlal Nehru Professor, University of Cambridge and Professorial Fellow, King’s College, Cambridge (1983-84). f. Founder Chairman, Solid State and Structural Chemistry Unit and Materials Research Laboratory, Indian Institute of Science (1977-84). g. Director, Indian Institute of Science (1984-94).  h. Visiting Professor, Universite Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France (1990). i. Honorary Professor, University of Wales, Cardiff (1993-1997).  j. President, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (1989-99). k. Albert Einstein Research Professor (1995-1999). l. Honorary Professor, Indian Institute of Science (1994- ). m. Visiting Professor, University of Southampton (2007-2010). n. Adjunct Professor of Chemistry, Purdue University (2004- ). o. Distinguished Visiting Professor of Materials, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA (1995- ). p. Distinguished Research Fellow, University of Cambridge (2007 – ). q. Distinguished Visiting Professor, University of California, Berkeley (2008 – ).

Degrees, Fellowships and Memberships of Science Academies: M.Sc. (Banaras) 1953, D.Sc. (Mysore) 1960, Ph.D. (Purdue) 1958. Honorary Doctorates from 51 Universities: Foreign Universities: D.Sc. (honoris causa) Bordeaux, Caen, Colorado, Khartoum, Liverpool, Northwestern, Novosibirsk, Oxford, Purdue, Stellenbosch, Wales, Wroclaw and RAS (SB); Sc.D (honoris causa) Notre Dame; Fil. Dr. (honoris causa) Uppsala.

Indian Universities: D.Sc. (honoris causa) Aligarh, Anna, Andhra, Banaras, Bengal Engineering, Bangalore, Burdwan, Bundelkhand, Delhi, Hyderabad, IGNOU, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, IIT Kharagpur, IIT New Delhi, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological, Kalyani, Karnataka, Kolkata, Kuvempu, Lucknow, Mangalore, Manipur, Mysore, Osmania, Panjab, Roorkee, Sikkim Manipal, SRM University, Uttar Pradesh Technological University, Sri Venkateswara, Vidyasagar, Visveswaraya Technological, LL.D (honoris Causa) SV University; D.Litt. (KSOU); Nadoja (Hampi); Desikottama (Vishva-Bharathi).

Fellowships of Academies: Fellow, Indian Academy of Sciences. Fellow, Indian National Science Academy. Fellow, The Royal Society, London. Foreign Associate, National Academy of Sciences, USA. Honorary Foreign Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Member, Pontifical Academy of Sciences. Foreign Member, American Philosophical Society. Founding Fellow, Third World Academy of Sciences. Foreign Member, Soviet (now Russian) Academy of Sciences. Foreign Member, Polish Academy of Sciences. Foreign Member, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences. Foreign Member, Slovenian Academy of Sciences, Ljubljana. Foreign Member, Serbian Academy of Arts & Sciences, Yugoslavia. Honorary Foreign Member, Korean Academy of Science & Technology. Foreign Member, Academia Europaea. Titular Member, European Academy of Arts, Sciences & Humanities. Corresponding Member, Brazilian Academy of Sciences. Honorary Member, Japan Academy. Foreign Member, Royal Spanish Academy of Sciences. Foreign Member, French Academy of Sciences. Honorary Member, African Academy of Sciences. Honorary Member, Caribbean Academy of Sciences. Foreign Fellow, The Royal Society of Canada. Foreign Member, Argentina Academy of Sciences Foreign Member, Mangolian Academy of Sciences

Research interests: Solid State and Materials Chemistry, Structural Chemistry; Some of the major areas of research are transition metal oxide systems, (new synthesis and novel structures, metal-insulator transitions, CMR materials, superconductivity, multiferroics etc.), hybrid materials and nanomaterials including nanotubes and graphene. Other major professional interest: Science education and direct contact programmes with school children Publications: Around 1500 research publications and 45 books.; Citation : Over 42,000 total citations (H-index, 90+).

Editorial Boards: Member of the Editorial Boards of several International journals dealing with Chemical Physics, Spectroscopy and Solid State and Materials Chemistry, such as Chem. Phys. Lett., Modern Phys. Lett., J. Solid State Chem., J. Mol. Struc., Mat. Res. Bull., Philosophical Magazine, Topics in Catalysis, J. Mater. Chem., Chemistry – An European Journal, Solid State Sciences, ChemPhysChem, J. Nanosci. Nanotech., Dalton Transactions, Small, Curr. Nanoscience, Chem. Soc. Rev., Bulletin of Chem. Soc. of Japan, J. Cluster Science, J. Experimental Nanoscience, Chemistry – An Asian Journal, Chem. Commun., Proc. Royal Soc. (London).

Important Medals, Prizes and Honours: (a) International: MARLOW MEDAL for outstanding contributions to Physical Chemistry, Faraday Society, England (1967).  CENTENNIAL FOREIGN FELLOWSHIP of the American Chemical Society (1976).   THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CHEMISTRY (LONDON) MEDAL for outstanding contributions to Solid State Chemistry (1981).   HEVROVSKY GOLD MEDAL, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences (1989). HONORARY FELLOWSHIP, The Royal Society of Chemistry, London (1989). BLACKETT LECTURESHIP, The Royal Society, London (1991). ALBERT EINSTEIN GOLD MEDAL, UNESCO, Paris (1996). LINNETT VISITING PROFESSORSHIP, University of Cambridge (1998). CENTENARY LECTURESHIP AND MEDAL, Royal Society of Chemistry, London (2000).   HUGHES MEDAL for Physical Sciences, The Royal Society, London (2000).  OFFICIER DE L’ORDRE DES PALMES ACADEMIQUES, France (2002).  ORDER OF SCIENTIFIC MERIT, GRAND-CROSS, President of Brazil (2002).  GAUSS PROFESSORSHIP, The Academy of Sciences, Gottingen, Germany (2003).  SOMIYA AWARD of the International Union of Materials Research Society (IUMRS) (2004).  THE DAN DAVID PRIZE for Science in the Future Dimension in the field of materials science (2005).

CHEMICAL PIONEER, American Institute of Chemists, USA (2005).  CHEVALIER DE LA LÉGION D’HONNEUR by the President of the French Republic (2005).  HONORARY FELLOWSHIP, Institute of Physics, London (2006).   HONORARY FELLOWSHIP, St. Catherine’s College, Oxford (2007).  NIKKEI ASIA PRIZE FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION from Japan (2008).  ORDER OF FRIENDSHIP, by the President of Russia (2009).  THE ROYAL MEDAL (THE QUEEN’S MEDAL), by the Royal Society, London, U.K (2009).  THE AUGUST-WILHELM-VON-HOFFMANN MEDAL for outstanding contributions to chemistry by the German Chemical Society (2010).   A.D. LITTLE LECTURER IN CHEMISTRY, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2010).   (b) National: BHATNAGAR PRIZE in Chemical Sciences, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India (1968).  PADMA SHRI, National honour bestowed by the President of India (1974).   S.N. BOSE MEDAL for Physical Sciences, Indian National Science Academy (1980).   PADMA VIBHUSHAN, National honour bestowed by the President of India (1985).   MEGHNAD SAHA MEDAL, Indian National Science Academy (1990).   GOLDEN JUBILEE PRIZE in Physical Sciences, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, India (1991).   KARNATAKA RATNA, Highest honour of the State of Karnataka (2001).   INDIA SCIENCE AWARD (2004), First recipient of the highest scientific recognition of the Government of India.   DHIRUBHAI AMBANI LIFE-ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR INNOVATION (2011)  Other Awards and Recognitions: YEDANAPALLI MEDAL AND PRIZE for outstanding research contributions in Physical Chemistry, Indian Chemical Society (1973).   JAWAHARLAL NEHRU FELLOWSHIP, Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund (1973).   P.C. RAY MEDAL in Chemistry, University of Calcutta (1975).   SIR C.V. RAMAN AWARD for experimental research in Physical Sciences by the University Grants Commission (1975).   FICCI AWARD in Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Federation of the Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (1977).   ZAHEER LECTURESHIP, Indian Chemical Society (1980).    KARNATAKA STATE AWARD (1982).   DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS MEDAL, Indian Institute of Science (1983).   P.C. RAY MEDAL, Indian Chemical Society (1984).   NATIONAL FELLOWSHIP, National Institute of Education (NCERT) (1986).   HONORARY MEMBERSHIP, Society of Materials Science, India (1987).   JAWAHARLAL NEHRU AWARD for scientific research (1988).    B. ROY MEDAL of the Indian Physical Society (1988).   K.G. NAIK GOLD MEDAL for Chemical Technology (1988).   ZAHEER LECTURESHIP, Zaheer Science Foundation (1988).   C.V. RAMAN CENTENARY MEDAL (1988).   HONORARY FELLOWSHIP, Institution of Electronics & Telecommunication Engineers (1988).   HONORARY FOREIGN FELLOWSHIP, Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka (1988).    SARABHAI LECTURESHIP, Indian Council of Social Science Research (1989).   G.M. MODI AWARD for innovative scientific research (1989).   HONORARY MEMBERSHIP, International Academy of Ceramics (1989).   HONORARY FELLOWSHIP, Electrochemical Society of India (1989).   HONORARY MEMBERSHIP, Materials Research Society of Japan (1990).   HONORARY MEMBERSHIP, Materials Research Society of South Korea (1991).   HONORARY FELLOWSHIP of the Institution of Engineers (1991).  GOYAL PRIZE IN CHEMISTRY of the Sri Kala Ram Trust (1992).   SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY AWARD of the Kamal Kumari Foundation (1992).     MRSI PRIZE in Superconductivity and Materials Science (1992).   DISTINGUISHED MATERIALS SCIENTIST MEDAL, MRSI (1993).   G.P. CHATTERJEE MEMORIAL AWARD of the Indian Science Congress (1993).   U.S. NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES INTERNATIONAL LECTURER (1993).   P.C. RAY MEMORIAL AWARD of the Indian Science Congress (1994).   HONORARY FELLOWSHIP of the Indian Institute of Science (1994).   DR. MAHENDRA LAL SIRCAR Prize of the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (1994).    SAHABDEEN INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR SCIENCE, Sri Lanka (1994).   KELLY LECTURER, Purdue University (1994).    N.R. DHAR AWARD of the National Academy of Sciences (1994).  ISCA MEDAL of the Asiatic Society (1995).   ASUTOSH MOOKERJEE MEMORIAL MEDAL of the Indian Science Congress (1996).    HONORARY FELLOWSHIP, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (1996).    HONORARY FELLOWSHIP, Korean Association for the Advancement of Sciences (1997).    HONORARY FELLOWSHIP, Cardiff University of Wales (1997).    H.K. FIRODIA AWARD for Excellence in Science & Technology (1997).      VIGYAN RATNA, Indian Society of Analytical Scientists (1998).    HONORARY FELLOWSHIP, Indian Chemical Society (1999).   HONORARY FELLOWSHIP, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (1999).   SHATABDI PURASKAR, Indian Science Congress (1999).   HALLIM DISTINGUISHED LECTURER, Korean Academy of Science & Technology (1999).   COMMANDER OF THE NATIONAL ORDER OF LION, Senegal (1999).   HONORARY MEMBERSHIP, The Indian Institute of Metals (2000).   HARI OM ASHRAM PRERIT SENIOR SCIENTIST AWARD (2000).   MILLENNIUM PLAQUE OF HONOUR, Indian Science Congress (2001).   HONORARY FELLOWSHIP, Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers (2001).   COMMANDER OF THE ORDER OF RIO BRANCO, President of Brazil (2002).   HOMI BHABHA LECTURE, TIFR, Mumbai (2002).   AVRA FOUNDATION AWARD, Hyderabad (2002).   D.S. KOTHARI LECTURESHIP, Indian National Science Academy (2002).   HONORARY PROFESSOR, Jilin University, Changchun, China (2002).   CHANCELLOR LECTURER, Lousiana State University, (2002).   LIFE-TIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, Indian Chemical Society (2003).   MENTOR OF SCIENCE Gold Medal, Indian Science Congress (2003).   SARVADHIKARI MEDAL, Calcutta University (2004).   LIFE-TIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, Indian Science Congress (2004).   HONORARY FELLOWSHIP of the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (2005).   MEDAL OF HONOR, Chemical Research Society of India (2005).   BARRETT LECTURE, Illinois University (2005).   WATT LECTURE, University of Texas (2005).   BURSTEIN LECTURE, University of Pennsylvania (2005).   PINNAMANENI AWARD for science (2005).

SRI CHANDRASEKARENDRA SARASWATI NATIONAL EMINENCE AWARD FOR SCIENCE (2005).   L. SINGHANIA-IIM LUCKNOW AWARD for leadership in Science & Technology (2005).   INDIA CITATION LAUREATE 2006 (Thomson/ISI, USA).   NATIONAL RESEARCH PROFESSORSHIP, by the Government of India (2006).   INSA MEDAL FOR PROMOTION AND SERVICE TO SCIENCE, 2006.   MAGNA LECTURE, Brazilian Academy of Science, 2007.   LIFE MEMBER, Christ Church College, Oxford, 2007.   DURHAM LECTURES, 2007.   KNOWLEDGE MILLENNIUM AWARD, ASSOCHAM, 2007.   BANGALORE NANO NATIONAL AWARD 2007 by Government of Karnataka.   FIRST JC BOSE LECTURE, Kolkata, 2007.

FIRST LAUREATE OF THE 21ST KHWARIZMI INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE AWARD by the Iranian Research Organization for Science & Technology (2008).   THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL PRIZE FOR MATERIALS SCIENCE by MRSI (India) (2009).   KELLY LECTURE, Cambridge University (2009).

HONORARY FELLOW, Chinese Chemical Society, China (2010).   DISTINGUISHED LECTURE, Waterloo Institute of Nanotechnology (2010).   FIRST PC Ray Lecture, IACS Kolkata (2010).   EDGE Award for leadership in education (2011).

Important positions in National and International Bodies:    Chairman, Science Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (2009 – ).   Immediate Past President, The Academy of Sciences for the developing world (TWAS), Trieste.   Chairman, National Nano Initiative, Government of India.   Member, Atomic Energy Commission of India.   Member, Executive Board, Science Institutes Group, Institute of Advanced Study, Princeton.   Founder President, Chemical Research Society of India.   Founder President, Materials Research Society of India.   Chairman, Indo-Japan Science Council.   Chairman, Indo-Brazil Science Council.   Chairman, Indo-Russia Long-term Programme in Science & Technology.   Chairman, Standing Committee of the Council of Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER).   Member, Council of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai.   International Adviser of the National Institute of Materials Science (NIMS) of Japan.   Vice-President, International Organization of Chemistry for Development.   Important positions in various bodies held in the past:   Chairman, Scientific Advisory Committee to the Union Cabinet.   Chairman, Science Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India (1985-89).   Chancellor, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong.   President, International Union of Pure & Applied Chemistry (IUPAC).   Chancellor, Assam University.   Member, Executive Board, International Council of Science (ICSU)   President, Indian National Science Academy.   President, Indian Academy of Sciences.   President, Indian Science Congress.   Chairman, Advisory Board, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (India).   Member, University Grants Commission, India.   Member, Planning Commission, Government of India.   Chairman, IUPAC Commission on Spectroscopy and Molecular Structure and also of the IUPAC Committee on Teaching of Chemistry.   Chairman, Chemical Research Committee, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.   Chairman, Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Committee, Department of Atomic Energy.   Member, Board of Directors, Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited.   Chairman (Honorary), Board of Directors, Hindustan Insecticides Limited (a Public sector undertaking).   Member, National Committee on Science & Technology and later Science Advisory Committee to the Cabinet.   Member, Science and Engineering Research Council, Government of India   Member, Executive Committee, Committee on Data for Science and Technology (ICSU).   Director, Reserve Bank of India.