National science awards presented

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New Delhi, Mar 1 (UNI) The 2006 national awards for science and technology communication were today presented to Kochi-based NGO Swadeshi Science Movement, film-maker Niret Alva, Delhi's Bal Bhavan Director Madhu Pant and seven others.

The others who received the awards from Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal were authors Rekha Aggarwal and Kuldeep Sharma, programmers Dinesh S Sharma, H B Muralidhara and Seema Muralidhara Sharma and writers Dr V A Elavalagan and S Ananthanarayanan.

No award was given in the category of science translation in Indian Languages this year.

The awards were announced by the National Council for Science and Technology Communication on National Science Day ysterday.

Mr Elavalagan of Chennai received the Rs two lakh award for promoting science through dramas, columns in newspapers and articles in popular magazines.

He has given popular science talks and quiz programmes through Tiruchirapalli, Chennai and New Delhi stations of All India Radio.

A similar award was given to Swadeshi Science Movement which has relentlessly worked for communicationing science by organising conferences, workshops and competitions. The organisation has initiated a project at Kannur for empowerment and development of scientific attitude among rural women.

Mr Alva receive the Rs one lakh award for promoting science through the electronic media.

A similar award was given to the Muralidhara couple from Mumbai who have developed a series of video programmes for increasing awareness about health and environment among women as well as science concepts among middle school students.

Ms Pant was presented the Rs one lakh award for popularising science among children through stories, poems, riddles and posters on science and environment.

Mrs Aggarwal received the Rs one lakh award for popularising science through books, magazines and internet. She works as an editor with the NCERT, and has authored and co-authored 14 books on science with special emphasis on child health, community medicine, environmental science and preventive health.

A similar award was presented to Mr Kuldeep Sharma of Delhi who has written 30 books for children.

Mr Ananthanarayan of Mumbai was given the Rs one lakh award for promoting science through the print media.

Mr Sharma of Delhi received a similar award.