NEW DELHI: Hyderabad University was given the first President's award for the best university for academic excellence and overall outstanding work. The award, which carries a citation and a trophy, was given by President Pranab Mukherjee to Hyderabad University's Vice Chancellor Prof E Haribabu during a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan's Durbar Hall.
The Hyderabad University, which was established in October 1974, is a premier institution of post graduate teaching and research in the country. It has National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) rating of 3.72 on a scale of four.
Two Delhi University teachers -- Vijay K Chaudhary and Amita Gupta -- have also been awarded Visitor's award for innovation for carrying out unique research that led to a product 'TB Confirm' for rapid diagnostic test for deadly Tuberculosis disease. Chaudhary is a Professor and head at the Delhi University's Department of Biochemistry and Gupta is working as Associate Professor in the same department.
They have developed a novel immunochromatography-based assay for the rapid identification of Mycobacterium Tuberoculosis (MTB) from culture, according to the detail mentioned in the presentation ceremony. The assay has been licensed to Span Diagnostics Ltd, Surat. In addition, an Indian patent is filed for it and approval of Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has been obtained for commercial diagnostic use of the assay.
The test, developed by the duo, reduces the time of TB confirmation in culture from several days to less than 20 minutes and maintains highest standards of accurate diagnosis, it said. The award in this category carries a citation and cash Rs one lakh reward.
Four researchers' from Jamia Milia Islamia have been chosen for President's award for research. The award given to Prof M Sami, Prof Sushant G Ghosh, Prof Sanjay Jhingan and Prof Anjan Ananda Sen for carrying out path breaking research in the field of contemporary issues in Astrophysics and Cosmology.
They all are working in Centre for Theoretical Physics in Jamia Milia Islamia. The award carries a citation and cash reward of Rs one lakh.
The President had in October last year instituted the awards in three categories -- Visitor's award for the best university, Visitor's award for innovation and Visitor's award for research -- in order to promote healthy competition amongst central universities and motivate them to adopt best practises from round the world in pursuit of excellence.
The awardees were chosen by a three-member selection committee headed by Secretary to the President and Secretaries of Department of Higher Education and Department of Science & Technology as its members.
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