Kakodkar chosen for Maharashtra Bhushan Award

Mumbai, April 26 (IANS) Eminent nuclear scientist Anil Kakodkar will be conferred this year's Maharashtra Bhushan Award for his contribution in making India a major global atomic power, an official said here Thursday.

Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan made the announcement here after a selection committee headed by him arrived at the decision on the state's top award being given to Kakodkar, a former head of the Atomic Energy Commission, for the year 2011-12.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar then telephoned Kakodkar to congratulate him and lauded his contribution in making India a major nuclear power in the world.

Born on Nov. 11, 1943 in Barwani in what is now Madhya Pradesh, Kakodkar has also been honoured with India's top civilian awards, Padmashri (1998), Padma Bhushan (1999), and Padma Vibhushan (2009).

He was part of the team of scientists which conducted India's peaceful nuclear tests in 1974 and 1998, besides authoring over 250 scientific papers.

The Maharashtra Bhushan Award is given to outstanding people from Maharashtra who have excelled in various fields like literature, arts, sports, society, business, science, health, etc.

Some of the past awardees include: Lata Mangeshkar, Bhimsen Joshi (both later conferred with Bharat Ratna), Sachin Tendulkar, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Sunil Gavaskar, Sunil Bhatkar, Ratan Tata, R. Mhashelkar, Baba Amte, Abhay and Rani Bang, R. K. Patil, Mangesh Padgaonkar, Nanasaheb Dharmadhikari, Jayant Narlikar and actress Sulochana.