India - A Knowledge Power: Opportunities and Challenges

Dr. (Mrs.) Manju Sharma

December 14, 2008, 11.30AM - 1PM

About the Speaker

Dr. (Mrs.) Manju Sharma is a distinguished biologist, nationally and internationally recognized for her monumental contributions in promotion of science and technology, in particular the emerging field of biotechnology. With her vision, dedication and sustained efforts she is largely responsible for the rapid progress of biotechnology research, application and commercialization in the country. She has played a pivotal role in taking up the cause of women in science and application of science and technology for the benefit of women, disadvantaged people and rural areas. Born in February, 1940 trained as a Plant Scientist; she took a first class M.Sc. from Lucknow University in 1961 and received the Birbal Sahni Memorial Gold Medal. Her well-known research on the sclereids in organs other than leaves, like stem and floral parts, brought out, for the first time, the taxonomic and phylogenetic significance of sclereids. Her Post-doctoral research at Purdue University, USA, on latex bearing plants led to the understanding that etheral can stimulate the yield of latex and rubber by 100%; this found direct commercial application in rubber plantations in Malaysia. Her extensive studies at the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun in a large number of woody species established a co-relation between silica content and the hardness of wood, a character used as an indicator of quality of wood. She co-authored a monograph entitled "Indian Medicinal Plants", an ICMR publication. She has many research publications to her credit and has prepared a number of special papers, policy reports and documents on various aspects of science and technology. The report on the environmentally sound development of islands led to the setting up of Island Development Authority by government. From 1974 onwards, in the govt., in various positions, she initiated and promoted many successful programmes in a range of areas of science. Her unique contribution is in establishing a number of new institutions covering diverse fields of Biotechnology. She promoted the Biotech Consortium India, a novel institution for science - industry - interface. She has delivered many endowment, memorial lectures and convocation addresses and has been conferred Honorary Doctorate (D.Sc.) by number of Universities. She is a Fellow of the Third World Academy of Sciences; National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and National Academy of Sciences, India of which she was also the President. She was the General President of the Indian Science Congress Association in 1998; President of the Association of Microbiologists of India (1999) and President of Vigyan Parishad, Prayag. She is the recipient of large number of awards and honours; to name a few: the VASVIK Award (1994); the Norman E. Borlaug Award (1995); G.M. Modi Science Award 2002; K.N. Bahl Memorial Gold Medal 1997; the FIE's National Award 1998; Shri Om Prakash Bhasin Award; the JEPPIAAR Educational Trust's National Science and Technology Award for Excellence in 1998; Ashutosh Mukherjee Medal, B.P. Pal Medal, Special Distinction Medal, Science Congress; DELHI RATAN 2003; Jawaharlal Nehru National Award 2000, by M.P. Govt.; Vigyan Gaurav from Govt. of Uttar Pradesh; Ojaswani Shirsh Alankaran 2002, M.P.; and life time achievement award from BIOSPECTRUM, 2004; Fellowship of Indian Science Writers' Association, 2000 and chosen member of Hall of Fame. She on 6th October, 2006 received from the Prime Minister of India, NASI's Platinum Jubilee Gold Medal for her life time contributions for the growth of the Academy. Her contributions during her tenure as Secretary, Department of Biotechnology have been instrumental in shaping biotechnology research and application and giving it a very strong position in the national interest. She initiated many concrete international collaborations for example, vaccine research, agricultural biotechnology, Centres of Excellence, capacity building etc. which will pay rich dividends in future. After superannuating and completing her tenure as Secretary, Department of Biotechnology in February, 2004, she was appointed Adviser to the Minister of Science & Technology, a guest faculty at IIT Delhi, where she lectured and interacted with young students on current topics of biotechnology and many technical issues of concern and interest to the students. She has also been advising many research institutions; is the Principal Adviser on Biotechnology to the State Governments of Gujarat, and Uttaranchal. She is the Chairperson of governing body of Miranda House. Presently, she is the Founder President and Executive Director of a new institute called the Indian Institute of Advanced Research in Gandhinagar, Gujarat which she has conceptualised and built as a state-of-art facility. As the Co-chair appointed by the Inter Academy Council for the Advisory Panel on 'Women for Science', she prepared a report greatly appreciated all over the world by academicians. She is the member of the Board of Governors of the United Nations University - Institute of Advanced Science (UNUIAS) in Tokyo, the Chairman of the Committee on Biotechnology and a member of the Committee on 'Women for Science' under the Third World Academy of Sciences. She has received in 2006 from the Prime Minster of India, NASIs Platinum Jubilee Gold Medal for Life Time Contributions for the growth of the academy. She was given in 2007, the National Senior Women Bioscientist Award. She has been given in 2007 Padma Bhushan by Govt. of India. She is not only widely nationally recognized, but has achieved tremendous international recognition through her performance as member and chairperson of various international committees. Dr. Manju Sharma has left her mark as a researcher, science promoter and manager in all the areas she has dealt with and the positions she has occupied. Her contributions have been of a lasting nature. She has dedicated over the last 30 years, her total efforts to the promotion and application of science with the deepest commitment; and her performance has been outstanding through out. Even after superannuation, she is devoting all her time through professional organizations and academies for spreading the message of science especially for the young students, scientists and in particular for women, who regard her as a 'Role Model'. She has made very valuable and laudable contributions towards national development through her dedication, very hard work, sustained efforts, far-sighted vision and commitment for science and technology and its application for human welfare.