CSIR-led team behind India’s ‘Purple Revolution’ earns recognition under Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2025
BuzzBytes
NEW DELHI, Dec 23: Eminent astrophysicist Prof. Jayant Vishnu Narlikar was posthumously conferred the prestigious Rashtriya Vigyan Ratna Puraskar 2025 for lifetime achievement, while the CSIR-led Aroma Mission team, credited with pioneering India’s “Purple Revolution” through lavender-based entrepreneurship, won the Rashtriya Vigyan Team Puraskar 2025 at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday.
President Droupadi Murmu presented the awards to 24 scientists and innovators across disciplines, in the presence of Union Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh. Congratulating the recipients, Dr. Singh wrote on ‘X’ that “Team Aroma” had gifted the world the concept of lavender-based agri-entrepreneurship, sparking livelihood opportunities even in remote Himalayan regions.
Instituted by the Modi government last year, the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar series recognises excellence across the scientific spectrum—from lifetime achievements to emerging innovators. The Aroma Mission, under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), has been widely praised for transforming laboratory research into rural enterprise by promoting the cultivation and processing of aromatic crops, particularly lavender, in Jammu and Kashmir. Beginning in Bhaderwah and Gulmarg, the initiative has now expanded to other parts of the UT and neighbouring states like Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, helping farmers earn sustainable incomes while reducing India’s dependence on imported essential oils.
Under the Vigyan Shri category, awards were presented to Dr. Gyanendra Pratap Singh (Agricultural Science), Dr. Yusuf Mohammad Sheikh (Atomic Energy), Dr. K. Thangaraj (Biological Sciences), Prof. Pradeep Thalappil (Chemistry), Prof. Aniruddha Bhalchandra Pandit (Engineering Sciences), Dr. S. Venkata Mohan (Environmental Science), Prof. Mahan Mj (Mathematics and Computer Science), and Shri Jayan N (Space Science and Technology).
The Vigyan Yuva – Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Awards honoured rising researchers below 45 for groundbreaking work in varied domains including physics, agricultural science, biology, chemistry, engineering, and medicine. Among them were Prof. Amit Kumar Agarwal, Prof. Surhud Shrikant More, Dr. Deepa Agashe, Dr. Dibyendu Das, Prof. Arkaprava Basu, Dr. Suresh Kumar, and Prof. Shweta Prem Agrawal, representing India’s next generation of scientific innovators.
Women scientists featured prominently this year, reflecting growing inclusion and leadership in India’s research landscape. Dr. Jitendra Singh lauded the awardees for embodying India’s scientific spirit and commitment to national development, remarking that the recognitions symbolise the nation’s shift toward science-led progress with tangible societal impact.
