BANGALORE: Astronautical Society of India (ASI), Bangalore, has announced its annual awards for the year 2004. Prof R Narasimha, Member Space Commission, former Director of National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) and currently Chairman, Engineering Mechanical Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bangalore, has been selected for the prestigious Aryabhata Award.

The detailed list of awards is as follows:

Aryabhata Award 2004

Prof R Narasimha, Member Space Commission and Chairman, Engineering
Mechanical Unit, JNCASR, Bangalore.

ASI Awards 2004:

Rocket Related Technology

Dr Panneer Selvam, DRDL, Hyderabad

Space Sciences & Applications

Prof K P Singh, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai

Space Systems Management

Shri K R Sridhara Murthy, ANTRIX Corporation, Bangalore and
Dr Surendra Pal, ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore

Spacecraft & Related Technology

Prof A V Patki, Sr Consulting Engineer, Satyam Computer Services Ltd.,
Hyderabad

ISRO-ASI Awards 2004 (sponsored by ISRO)
Rocket & Related Technologies

Shri G K Kuruvilla, Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, Thiruvananthapuram

Space Sciences & Applications

Shri J S Parihar, Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad

Space Systems Management

Shri D Narayana Moorthi, Visiting Scientist, ISRO HQ, Bangalore

Spacecraft & Related Technology

Shri M N Sathyanarayan, Executive Director, Space Industries Development
(Retd), Bangalore

Women Scientist Award 2004

Smt Geetha Varadan, ISRO Headquarters, Bangalore

Young Scientist Award

Shri Yogesh Prasad, ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore

Team Achievement Award

G Viswanathan and his Team, ISRO Radar Development, Bangalore

It may be noted that Astronautical Society of India (ASI), set up in 1990, is fostering the development of astronautics in the country through dissemination of technical and other information related to astronautics. ASI has instituted several awards to recognise talented Indian individuals who have made significant contributions to astronautics.

Aryabhata Award carries a citation and Rs.1 lakh in cash while each of the ASI awards and Women Scientist Award carry a citation and Rs 25,000/- in cash. Team Achievement Award carries a citation and Rs 1 lakh in cash while the Young Scientist Award carries a citation and Rs10,000 in cash. ISRO - ASI Awards are sponsored by ISRO.

The awards will be presented at a function to be organised shortly.