Ex IMD Director gets 1st National Atmospheric Sciences Award

New Delhi, July 27 (UNI) Dev Raj Sikka, former Director of India Meteorological Department (IMD), today received the first National Award for Atmospheric Science and Technology.

The National Award for Ocean Science and Technology went to Abraham Ebenzer Muthunayagam, former Secretary in the Department of Ocean Development.

The awards were presented by Finance Minister P Chidambaram on the first anniversary of Earth Science Ministry.

Mr Muthunayagam was not present to receive the Award.

Each of the award carries a cash prize a Rs one lakh and a citation.

Mr Sikka made pioneering contribution to monsoon meteorology, droughts, tropical cyclones and numerical weather predictions. He worked on the role of El Nino and southern osciliation (ENSO) in Indian monsoon and its prediction capabilities, leading to ENSO-monsoon connection as indicators in empirical models of long-range predictions of monsoon rainfall.

Mr Muthunayagam, founder Director of Liquid Propulsions Systems Centre, ISRO, initiated the pilot project on ocean thermal energy conversion for generating 1 MW power and reoriented the programmes for exploitation and sustained exploration of marine living and non-living resources.

Mr Sibal also gave away certificates of merit in Atmospheric Sciences and in Ocean Sciences, and awards for best employees in Group B, C and D categories.

This year, there were two awards each for Group B and C employees and four awards for Group D employees instead of one each.

UNI