Four Indian researchers were among the seven international students who bagged top awards for their PhD work at the 31st International Astronomical Union (IAU) meet at Busan, South Korea.
All four researchers specialise in solar physics. Prantika Bhowmik from Centre of Excellence in Space Sciences India at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata, Gopal Hazra of the Indian Institute of Sciences and Souvik Bose, formerly with the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru and Reetika Joshi from Kumaun University and Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences, Nainital claimed the top honours.
“It is rare for a country to win so many PhD thesis awards at a global forum. Even more rare is that the prizes are in the field of solar physics. This is proof of high quality work to understand the Sun and its impact on the space environment being done in India in recent years,” said Professor Dipankar Banerjee, president, Astronomical Society of India.
Astronomy Magic 