Prof Swaminathan, Sivathenu Pillai receive Raja Ram Mohan award

Kolkata, May 22 (UNI) The prestigious Ram Mohan Puraskar, 2006, was conferred on noted scientists M S Swaminathan and A Sivathanu Pillai at a function here today.

Ram Mohan Mission founder and President Sankar Biswas handed over a cash award of Rs five lakh each along with a citation and a gold medal to the two scientists for their contribution to science and society.

Describing Raja Ram Mohan as the first person to talk of gender equality, Prof Swaminathan said his vision and social reforms were still relevant in the current day.

''He was the first person to talk of equal property rights for men and women and it was only last year that the right was established through the Hindu Succession Act,'' he said.

Dr Pillai, Chief Controller (R&D), Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO) said India, with its large pool of manpower was moving towards becoming a developed country and efforts must be made to use indigenous technology in all areas of development.

Today was Raja Ram Mohan Roy's 234th birth anniversary.

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