Kalpana Chawla Award was conferred on me by Hon'ble Chief Minister Dr. Kalaignar on Independence Day in the year 2006

Press Release No. 276 from the Government of Tamil Nadu

dated August 09, 2006

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KALPANA CHAWLA AWARD TO DR.VASANTHA KANDASAMY WHO FOUGHT FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE IN IIT

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Every year, the Tamil Nadu Government has been giving an award for Courage and Daring Enterprise in the name of renowned space scientist Kalpana Chawla to a daring woman from Tamil Nadu.

Chief Minister Kalaignar has announced that this year's Kalpana Chawla award will be given to Dr. W. B.Vasantha Kandasamy.

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Dr. Vasantha Kandasamy is an extraordinary scientist and researcher in the field of mathematics. She has worked from 1987 for 17 years as a lecturer in the mathematics department of I.I.T. She has also guided several students to get a doctoral degree in Mathematics. The majority of the 14 mathematical books that she has authored have been published in America. She has written 2 books about AIDS awareness. It is worth mentioning that out of the 480 faculty members in IIT Madras, she is the only person who stressed that teachers must be recruited on the basis of social justice and carried on a struggle with the Institution.

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Chief Minister Kalaignar has announced that Dr. Vasantha Kandasamy has been bestowed the Kalpana Chawla award in appreciation for her exemplary intellectual contribution to mathematics and her mental strength to daringly fight with determination for the establishment of social justice. The Kalpana Chawla award given to Dr.Vasantha Kandasamy carries a cash prize of Rs.5 lakhs and a medal. This award shall be presented on the coming Independence Day.

Released by the Director, Department of Information and Public Relations, Chennai – 9.