Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
Dr. Pranjal Chandra, Associate Professor at the School of Biochemical Engineering of the Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi has been conferred upon the prestigious Prof. B.K. Bachhawat Memorial Young Scientist Lecture Award 2022. The award was conferred upon him by the National Academy of Science India (NASI), the oldest science academy of India and a premier institution that promotes and nurtures scientific research in India. The award is a testament to Dr. Chandra’s dedication and hard work toward advancing science and technology.
The award was established in 2002 in memory of Prof. B.K. Bachhawat, a renowned biochemist and former director of the Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB). The B.K. Bachhawat Memorial Young Scientist Lecture Award is a prestigious honor that recognizes the contributions of young scientists to the field of biological science and medical research in India which is conferred to a single recipient every alternate year.
The award ceremony and lectures were held during 28th February – 1st March at the National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi to mark the contributions of the country’s finest scientists on the National Science Day. The event was attended by eminent scientists, researchers, and academicians from various parts of India. The awardee receives a medal, a cash prize, and a citation.
Dr. Chandra has been selected for the development of a wide range of handheld bio-sensing devices that are both simple and affordable. Among them is the “Smartphone Integrated Milk Testing Paper Sensor,” and “Device for Kidney Dysfunction Test” are the most promising ones that have great commercial impact. They are particularly useful for common man and can also be used as a personalized diagnostic module testing in both urban and rural areas. According to Dr. Chandra, these bio-electronic devices are compact and portable, making them ideal for detecting molecules in small-scale settings. Compared to traditional methods, these devices are ultrafast and can provide readout signals in a short amount of time.
Dr. Chandra expresses his heartfelt gratitude to Prof. Pramod Kumar Jain, Director of Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) for supporting the research activity of his laboratory and creating a various facilities that support cutting-edge research. He also added that the support received in IIT (BHU) Varanasi has given him the motivation and resources to push forward in his research, and he is excited to continue making progress in the field.
Prof. Pramod Kumar Jain, the director of IIT (BHU), congratulated Dr. Chandra on winning this prestigious award added that “these devices and translational researches have the potential to assist in improving human health and benefit the general public”. These devices align with the visionary national missions of “Make in India” and “Start-up India” introduced by Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Prof. Jain believes that the devices developed in Dr. Chandra’s laboratory can compete with other similar imported devices and that several similar devices and advanced analytical systems are currently under development at IIT (BHU).
Such ground breaking and national award-winning research is seminal output of the vision of Prof. Jain, Director IIT-BHU that are greatly supported by the Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) for technology development and activities under The Interdisciplinary Data Analytics and Predictive Technologies (IDAPT) hub foundation, A section eight company at IIT-BHU, added Prof. Vikash Kumar Dubey, Dean Research and Development of the Institute.
–IIT-BHU press release
