The Ministry of Information Technology (MIT) has instituted a special award for innovations in IT to honor the contributions of Dewang Mehta, the ebullient president of Nasscom who died earlier this year. The award will be known as “Shri Dewang Mehta award for Innovations in the field of IT.”
The award, carrying a sum of Rs. 5 lakhs, a memento, and a citation will be given every year to an Indian who has made significant innovations in the IT field. The work in consideration should have made or should have the potential of making, an impact on national development or bring fame to the country.
Any citizen of India, engaged in carrying out innovations in IT will be eligible for this award and there is no age limit associated with the award. The MIT is already inviting nominations for the award from organizations such as Nasscom, MAIT, ESC, STIP, NIC, IITs, R&D; organizations, IT educational institutions, the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Space, Atomic Energy, and the Ministry of Communication. The nominations have to be sent through the respective Heads/Directors/Secretaries of the organizations.
The Directorate General of R&D; agencies, Chairpersons of Commissions, and Directors of Laboratories can sponsor names of scientists working in their respective organizations. Secretaries of concerned Technical Departments/Ministries and Presidents of Scientific Societies of All India character may sponsor names of individual scientists or groups or institutions of their own or outside organizations. In addition, an Expert Committee constituted for the year can also draw up a list of eminent persons who may be specifically requested to send nominations.
How to nominate
Nominations should be on the prescribed form and should be complete in all respects. It can be e-mailed to Shri Rajiv Rastogi, Director, Ministry of Information Technology at [email protected] along with reports pertaining to the innovations and achievements in the IT sector and other evidence of the national/international gains achieved in the IT domain. The last date for the receipt of the completed nominations for the award will be January 15, 2002. The MIT will set up an Expert Committee to decide on the award winners. For further details go to : www.mit.gov.in