JNU, Tezpur University selected for visitor's awards

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Tezpur University have been chosen the winners of the 2016 annual visitor's awards for central universities, a government statement said on Thursday.

Tezpur University has won the annual visitor's award for the best university while JNU has been chosen for two visitor's awards -- first for innovation and the other in the field of research.

"The visitor's award for innovation will be given to a JNU professor Rakesh Bhatnagar for development of a genetically engineered vaccine and a therapeutic antibody against anthrax," the statement said.

The statement, however, said that the visitor's award for research would be presented to the Molecular Parasitology Group of Jawaharlal Nehru University for pioneering work in the area of molecular parasitology, especially anti-malaria, leishmaniasis and amoebiasis.

It said that President Pranab Mukherjee will give away these awards at a function at Rashtrapati Bhavan on March 14, as part of the 'Festival of Innovations'.

The best university will receive a citation and trophy while winners of the visitor's award for innovation and research will receive a citation and cash award of one lakh rupees, the statement said.

The president had announced the institution of these awards at the vice chancellors' conference, 2014 with the aim of promoting healthy competition amongst central universities and motivating them to adopt best practices from across the world.

"For selecting the winners, online applications were invited from all central universities for each category," the statement said.

A week-long Festival of Innovations is being held at Rashtrapati Bhavan from March 12 to 19.