THRISSUR : Former ISRO chairman S Somanath has been honoured with the prestigious Kerala Sasthrapuraskaram for 2023. The announcement was made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at the 37th Kerala Science Congress, held at Kerala Agriculture University, Vellanikkara. Somanath, who led ISRO’s successful Chandrayaan-3 mission, was recognised for his outstanding contributions to science.

The Kerala Sasthrapuraskaram, instituted by the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology, and Environment in 2011, aims to honour exceptional scientists from Kerala, regardless of their workplace location. Past recipients of the award include notable scientists such as E C G Sudarshan, M Vijayan, and M S Swaminathan.

The award comprises a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh, a memento, and a citation. This recognition underscores Somanath’s significant contributions to India’s space exploration endeavours, particularly the Chandrayaan-3 mission.

Earlier , while inaugurating the 37th Kerala Science Congress, the Chief Minister said that Kerala aims to become a carbon- neutral state by 2050 and efforts are under way to bring down carbon emission in each panchayat to zero.

Applauding the contributions made by Kerala Science Congress to the nation through discussions and debates, the chief minister pointed out that, in the past three-and-a- half decades, the Science Congress had become a major gathering of scientists influencing the scientific temper in the state.

“In an era where attempts are being made to blur the lines between science and superstition, even trying to elevate superstitions above science, the Science Congress stands as a stronghold of scientific resistance,” said the chief minister. He cited a recent speech by an IIT director as an example, noting that it reflected anti-scientific sentiments. “Shockingly, even our research and development funds are sometimes diverted to support superstition-based activities,” he added.