Assam down town University Honours 80 Faculty Members with Monetary Research Rewards of Rs 70 Lakh

Assam down town University (AdtU) recognised the research and innovation contributions of its faculty members, researchers and research scholars at the AdtU Eminence in Research Awards & Research Reward Ceremony 2026. The ceremony recognised 80 awardees across multiple categories, with research rewards amounting to Rs 67,48,327. The awards acknowledged contributions spanning research publications, citations, patents, externally funded projects, scholarly books and book chapters, Q1 publications and doctoral research. Dr. Shannon B. Olsson, Founder and Global Director of The Echo Network and associated with the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), delivered the inaugural lecture as part of the Distinguished Scientists Lecture Series held on the occasion. She also presented the research rewards to the recipients. A US citizen, Dr. Olsson is currently a faculty member at NCBS, TIFR, where she is engaged in research and academic activities. Dr. Partha Pratim Dutta, Associate Professor, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences (FPS), received the highest individual research reward of Rs 7,23,500. He was also named the Best Researcher for 2026 and received an additional Rs 50,000, along with a memento and certificate. The Best Researcher Award recognised overall excellence across publications, citations, patents, research projects and other research contributions. Speaking on the occasion, Prof. (Dr.) Narayan Chandra Talukdar, Vice Chancellor, Assam down town University, said, “Research is an important part of the academic environment at AdtU. These awards provide an opportunity to recognise the sustained work of our faculty members, researchers and scholars and the different ways in which they contribute to knowledge creation. The range of categories this year also reflects the breadth of research activity taking place across the university.” The Best Innovator Award 2026, recognising the highest number of granted patents, was presented to Dr. Prasanta Pratim Bairagi, Associate Professor, Faculty of Computer Technology (FoCT). The Emerging Researcher Award – Male Category 2026 was presented to Dr. Prakash Kishore Hazam, Assistant Professor (Research Faculty), Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, while the Emerging Researcher Award – Female Category was presented to Dr. Dulumani Das, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Computer Technology. The High Impact Factor Publication Award – Male Category 2026 was presented to Dr. Himangshu Deka, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. The Female Category award was presented to Dr. Srijita Chakrabarti, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, for a publication with an impact factor of 10.4. In recognition of scholarly publishing, Dr. Rajib Mandal, Associate Professor, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, received the Excellence in Book Chapter Publication Award. The Excellence in Book Publication Award 2026 was jointly presented to Dr. Krishnakhi Choudhury, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, and Dr. Dipankar Saikia, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology. Prof. (Dr.) Saikat Sen, Dean, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, received the Highest Citation Impact Award 2026 for the highest number of citations during the assessment period. The Highest Research Grant Award 2026 was presented to Dr. Prakash Kishore Hazam for securing the highest value of externally funded research grants. The Highest Q1 Publication Award 2026 was presented to Dr. Barenya Bikash Hazarika, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Computer Technology, for the highest number and quality of Q1 publications under Clarivate. The Best Research Scholar Award 2026 was presented to Mr. Pervej Alom Barbhuiya, Project Research Scientist-I, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, in recognition of his research contributions as a PhD research scholar, including publications, presentations and patents. The award categories covered different aspects of research performance, including overall research excellence, innovation and patents, emerging research, high-impact publications, book and book chapter publications, citation impact, externally funded research and Q1 publications. Each awardee received recognition through a memento and certificate, with monetary rewards applicable to the respective categories. The Eminence in Research Awards & Research Reward Ceremony 2026 also served as an institutional platform to acknowledge researchers at different stages of their academic careers. By recognising both established and emerging researchers, the university highlighted the contribution of sustained research activity to its academic environment. The ceremony concluded with the recognition of the awardees and their contributions to research and innovation across disciplines at Assam down town University. (The views, opinions, and claims in this article are solely those of the author’s and do not represent the editorial stance of The Assam Tribune)