IISc scientist conferred with French Order of Merit

The award is normally reserved for French citizens

The French Ordre National du Merite, one of France’s highest distinctions, has been bestowed on Professor Rohini Godbole, honorary professor of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru.

The award, normally reserved for French citizens, is an honour to reward "distinguished merit" with membership awarded by the President of the French Republic.

Speaking to DH, Professor Godbole explained that the award was conferred for three reasons: for her contributions to the field of theoretical physics, for her extensive involvement in Indo-French science collaborations and for her role in promoting equity for women in science.

“The award has come as a complete surprise. It is not the first time that an award has been conferred. In previous instances, there have been hints and suggestions such as people asking for your CV or people saying that an award is likely to be conferred and how I felt about it. However, this award has been completely out of the blue,” Professor Godbole said.

She added that the award had likely been decided on during the New Years but that she was only told on Tuesday after she received an email from the French Embassy in New Delhi.

Professor Godbole’s life work explores different aspects of particle phenomenology, in particular different aspects of the Standard Model of Particle Physics and the physics beyond it.

Her work regarding the hadronic structure of high-energy photons outlined a variety of ways in which to study them. This has implications for the design of next-generation electron-positron colliders. She was also involved in the design and implementation of two-particle colliders: the Large Hadron Collider and the Next Linear Collider, at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research.

While a professor with the IISc’s Centre for High Energy Physics since June 1998, she was the Indian team leader for projects being collaborated with France’s Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CRNS). She was also a part of the Indo-French Laboratory in Theoretical High Energy Physics (IFLTHEP).

While the letter from the French embassy, announcing the award, thanked her for her “outstanding communication skills,” which has continued to a better understanding of physical sciences in India, the letter added that her “enrolment in the defence and promotion of women in hard sciences has naturally raised our attention and admiration.”

“These achievements have motivated France to award you with “Ordre National du Mérite,” the letter stated.

In 2019, Professor Godbole was awarded a Padma Shri.