Mumbai, September 28, 2017: Prof. G. Naresh Patwari, Department of Chemistry, IIT Bombay has been selected for Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize 2017 in Chemical Science. His name for the award was announced in the presence of Hon’ble President of India Mr. Ram Nath Kovind during the Foundation Day function of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) on September 26, 2017 in New Delhi. The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar prize named after the Founder Director of CSIR, the late Dr. (Sir) Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar and is known as the ‘Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (SSB) Prize for Science and Technology’. This prize is considered as the most prestigious scientific prize of the country.
On the declaration of the name for the prize, Prof. Devang V. Khakhar, Director, IIT Bombay expressed his pleasure and said, “I am very happy and proud of Prof. G. Naresh Patwari for being selected for Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar prize. This is the top scientific award of India and is testimony of great work done by IIT Bombay faculty members.”
Every year 8-10 scientists, below the age of 45, are selected across institutions by the CSIR and awarded for outstanding scientific work in the last five years. The award consists of cash prize of Rs. 5.00 lakhs for notable and outstanding research in the following disciplines: (1) Biological, (2) Chemical, (3) Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary, (4) Engineering, (5) Mathematical, (6) Medical, and (7) Physical Sciences.
Prof. Patwari did his schooling from rural Telangana and then completed his BSc from Osmania University. Following post graduation from the University of Hyderabad in 1994, Prof. Patwari completed his PhD from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in 2000. He also did two postdoctoral stints at Tohoku University and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He joined IIT Bombay in April 2003 as Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry. In 2007, he became Associate Professor and since June 2012, Prof. Patwari is working as Professor in IIT Bombay.
Dr. Patwari’s interests are primarily focused on molecular aggregation. His research work uses laser based experiments to understand how the molecules interact among themselves and how these interactions alter properties of individual molecules. His research group investigates plethora of interactions which vary due to the nature of molecules involved, termed as hydrogen-bonding and pi-stacking.
Prof. Patwari expressed his happiness on selection for Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar prize. Speaking about his research, he said, “The experiments are combined with theoretical modeling to nature of these interactions and I apply these results to understand larger phenomena in chemistry and biology, such as structure of proteins and DNA. This research has led to formulating some rules for understanding and at times predicting how given two molecules will interact.”
In the recent times, Dr. Patwari’s research is involved in providing alternate description of these interactions in-terms of electrical fields that molecules exert on each other. The electric field description of interaction between molecules is conceptually very similar to hybridization that is taught in high school chemistry. Dr. Patwari is also very passionate about wildlife and enjoys morning walks in IIT Campus watching birds by the Powai lake.
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