Prof Raghavendra Gadagkar, a professor in insect biology who plies his trade at the Centre for Ecological Sciences, IISc, has been conferred the Cross of Order of the Merit, highest civilian award of Germany.
A founding chairman of the Centre for Contemporary Studies, Prof Gadagkar is also the president of Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi and has published more than 270 research papers and two books.
In a release issued by the German Consulate in Bengaluru on Tuesday, Joern Rohde, German Consulate General, stated: “It is a tribute to the substantial contribution made by Prof Gadagkar in the field of behavioural ecology and sociobiology. He has worked tirelessly towards strengthening the Indo-German research cooperation.” He further said that the honour “symbolises Germany’s commitment on continuously intensifying the bilateral research cooperation with India.”
While Gadagkar has travelled to many countries and has collaborations worldwide, he has a special liking for Germany. He was instrumental in the MoU signed between IISc and the University of Wurzburg in 2012.
He is active in the Indo-German scientific cooperation with the Max-Plank-Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, the German Zoological Society in Halle and the universities of Freiburg and Offenburg. In 2012, he was elected member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and is in talks for a closer cooperation between INSA and the German academy, the release said
Between 2000 and 2002, he spent fellowships in Berlin Institute for Advanced Study and is a Non-resident Permanent Fellow of the institution assisting its vice-chancellor in areas of academic leadership and in the selection of Fellows.
Furthermore, he is a member of the Scientific Committee of College for Life Sciences of the Wissenschaftskolleg.
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