ICAR Women Scientist Award

RAFI AHMED KIDWAI AWARD FOR THE BIENNIUM 2005-2006

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has bestowed Dr (Mrs) Indrani Karunasagar with the highly prestigious Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award for the Biennium, for her outstanding research contribution in Fisheries and Aquatic Life Sciences.

Dr. Karunasagar has been recognized for her research on development of recombinant protein vaccines for Indian major carps which helps protect fish against the common fish pathogen Aeromonas hydrophila. She was also recognized for her pioneering work on the isolation and characterization of several lytic bacteriophages against luminous vibriosis disease of shrimps that has led to the development of phage therapy in aquaculture for the first time in the world. Phage therapy is now been considered an alternate to antibiotics and is an eco-friendly approach to fish and shrimp health management.

Dr. Karunasagar’s work on marine toxins has led to the characterization of shellfish toxins in India and led to understanding of the prevalence of cysts of various toxic dinoflagellates in sediments. The implications for public health includes reporting and monitoring of paralytic and diarrhetic shellfish toxins in molluscan shellfish for export and domestic consumption.

The award was given at a glittering function in New Delhi on 16th July, 2007 by the Hon’ble Minister for Agriculture Shri. Sharad Pawar, in the presence of Director General-ICAR and Secretary-Director of Agriculture and Research Education, Dr. Mangala Rai and Shri. Kantilal Bhuria. The award consisted of a certificate, citation, a gold medal and a cash prize of Rs.3.0 lakhs.

NATIONAL WOMEN SCIENTIST AWARD

Dr.(Mrs.) Indrani Karunasagar from the Department of Fishery Microbiology, College of Fisheries, Mangalore

has been conferred the National Women Bioscientist Award, special award for the "Year of water". The

award was presented to her by the Department of Science and Technology, Governement of India. Padma

Vibhushan Dr. Chidambaram, Government Principal Scientific Advisor to the Prime Minister of India presented

the award. The award consisted of a scroll, citation, gold medal and a cheque for Rs. 1.0 lakh.

This award has been given to Dr. Karunasagar in recognition of her outstanding contributions in the area of

water and food safety and public health. The United Nations had declared 2003 as the year of water and the

special award has been instituted in this connection.

The citation mentions the contributions of Dr. Karunasagar such as development of molecular diagnostics,

immunostimulants and vaccines. Her contributions in the area of international cooperation and training as a

Director of UNESCO Centre at Mangalore has been recognized through this award.