From Our Correspondent
NONGPOH, Nov 12: Vice Chancellor of the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM), Prof. GD Sharma, has been awarded the prestigious Birbal Sahni Medal in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of plant sciences and higher education.
The award was conferred by the Birbal Sahni Foundation during the national conference on ‘Emerging Trends in Seedless Vascular Plants and Multidisciplinary Research: An Approach to Biodiversity Conservation, Bioeconomy and Climate Resilience’, which was hosted by the university.
The Birbal Sahni Foundation, named after the eminent Indian palaeobotanist Prof. Birbal Sahni (1891-1949)—a pioneer in the study of fossil plants and founder of the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow—presents this distinguished medal every year to one eminent scientist for exemplary contributions in the field of botany or related life sciences.
The award holds international repute, with last year’s recipient being a distinguished researcher from Japan.
The medal was presented to Prof. Sharma by representatives of the Foundation and the Indian Fern Society during the inaugural session of the conference, which was attended by eminent dignitaries including Padma Shri Prof. Pramod Tandon, former Vice Chancellor of NEHU,
and Dr Kanad Das, Director of the Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata.
Expressing his gratitude, Prof. Sharma said, “This recognition is not just a personal honour but a testament to the growing research culture and scientific pursuit nurtured at USTM. It inspires us to continue promoting biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and sustainable development through science.”
It may be mentioned that the event was organised by the Department of Botany, USTM, and supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the North Eastern Council (NEC) under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER).
It brought together eminent scientists, academicians and students from across India to promote interdisciplinary dialogue and address contemporary challenges in plant sciences, with a special focus on Pteridophyte biology.
