Education & Career
Dr. Mashelkar is the President of Indian National Science Academy (INSA). He is also the Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the largest chain of publicly funded industrial research and development institutions in the world, with thirty-eight laboratories and about 22,000 employees.
Before becoming a leading architect of his country's science and technology policies,
Mr. Mashelkar did pioneering work in polymer science and engineering, which earned him many international laurels. Dubbed a "dangerous optimist" in India, he is deeply committed to championing the cause of the developing world.
Awards
Dr. Mashelkar has won over 40 awards and medals, which include:
S.S. Bhatnagar Prize (1982)
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Technology Award (1991)
G.D. Birla Scientific Research Award (1993)
Material Scientist of Year Award (2000)
IMC Juran Quality Medal (2002)
HRD Excellence Award (2002)
Lal Bhadur Shastri National Award for Excellence in Public Administration and Management Sciences (2002)
World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) Medal of Engineering Excellence (2003) by WFEO, Paris
Lifetime Achievement Award (2004) by Indian Science Congress
The Science medal (2005) by TWAS the Academy of Science for the Developing World
Asutosh Mookherjee Memorial Award (2005) by Indian Science Congress, etc.
Business Week (USA) award of ‘Stars of Asia' at the hands of George Bush (Sr.), the former President of USA (2005)
The President of India honored Dr. Mashelkar with Padmashri (1991) and with Padmabhushan (2000), which are two of the highest civilian honours in recognition of his contribution to nation building.
In August 1997, Business India named Dr. Mashelkar as being among the 50 path-breakers in the post- Independent India. In 1998, Dr. Mashelkar won the JRD Tata Corporate Leadership Award, the first scientist to win it.
Boards and Memberships
Dr. Mashelkar is at present the President of Indian National Science Academy (INSA).
He is only the third Indian engineer to have been elected as Fellow of Royal Society (FRS), London in the twentieth century. He was elected Foreign Associate of National Academy of Science (USA) in 2005, only the 8th Indian since 1863 to be elected. He was elected Foreign Fellow of US National Academy of Engineering (2003), Fellow of Royal Academy of Engineering, U.K. (1996), and Fellow of World Academy of Art & Science, USA (2000). Twenty-three universities have honoured him with honorary doctorates, which include Universities of London, Salford, Pretoria, Wisconsin and Delhi.