Applications are invited for the Prof. Saroj Chandrasekhar Memorial Award, 2025, to recognise and reward women scientists in the areas of Biosciences and Biotechnology. This annual award will be presented to women candidates who are in the third or fourth year of their doctoral programme. 

This award is instituted by the Chandrasekhar Foundation in memory of Prof. Saroj Chandrasekhar, who made significant contributions in tuberculosis research. Prof. Saroj Chandrasekhar completed her B.Sc. from St. Xavier’s College, University of Bombay, in 1947, and Ph.D. from Imperial College of Science and Technology, UK in Bacteriology (Microbiology) in 1950. She returned to India to do a post-doctoral fellowship at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa Campus, New Delhi. Prof. Saroj joined the Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute at the University of Delhi in 1953, eventually becoming a full professor, head of the Department of Microbiology and Assistant Director of the Institute in 1970. From 1966 to 1969, she was a visiting faculty member at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Public Hygiene and Public Health (now Bloomberg School of Public Health) in Baltimore, MD, USA, carrying out research in the pathogenesis of tuberculosis. Her major contributions to tuberculosis research were in definitively demonstrating the existence of cell-wall-deficient forms of tubercle bacilli that are totally unaffected by antibiotics and can remain dormant in humans for decades, like sleeper cells; when their host is severely immune-suppressed, they ​“come alive” causing tuberculosis. Her contributions have impacted how we treat this disease today. Prof. Chandrasekhar passed away in 2017.

Candidates who have submitted their Ph.D. thesis are also eligible to apply.

The Award will be presented on National Technology Day (11 May 2025) at the IIT Kanpur campus.

Applications must be submitted before 1 February 2025, online at: Chandrasekhar_​Award_​2025_​Submission_​Form

Also request submission of 2 to 3 Letters of Reference directly at: Chandrasekhar_​Award_​2025_​LettersOfReference_​only