<p>Appa Rao Podile, Vice Chancellor of Hyderabad University who was in the eye of a storm following suicide by Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula, today received an award for outstanding contribution in the field of bio-tech and higher education from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Rao was conferred with the 'Millennium Plaques of Honour' at the Indian Science Congress here along with several scientists who were awarded for their contribution in the field of science.<br /><br />He was given the Millennium Plaques of Honour for his outstanding contribution in the field of bio-technology and also for his work in higher education, said Prof D Narayan Rao, President of the Indian Science Congress 2017.<br /><br />He, however, could not provide the details of the same.<br /><br />Six Nobel laureates were also felicitated for their achievements.<br /><br />The Ministry of Science and Technology said the awards are decided by the Indian Science Congress and the government has no role to play in it.<br /><br />"The (S&T) department has no role to play in this. The awards are decided by the Indian Science Congress, which is an autonomous body," DST Secretary Ashutosh Sharma said.<br />Podile said he was honoured for his guidance and leadership in the field of science and technology.<br /><br />"I am on the Department of Science and Technology's Programme Advisory Committee on Plant Sciences and also a member of the Task Force for Biological Agents for Agriculture for the last 10-12 years," the VC said.<br /><br />Podile was in the eye of a storm after Vemula committed suicide in 2015 alleging harassment by the University management. Podile's role had come under a scanner after Vemula and five students were suspended from hostel.<br /><br />The HCU students had staged protests for days demanding Podile's removal.</p>
<p>Appa Rao Podile, Vice Chancellor of Hyderabad University who was in the eye of a storm following suicide by Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula, today received an award for outstanding contribution in the field of bio-tech and higher education from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Rao was conferred with the 'Millennium Plaques of Honour' at the Indian Science Congress here along with several scientists who were awarded for their contribution in the field of science.<br /><br />He was given the Millennium Plaques of Honour for his outstanding contribution in the field of bio-technology and also for his work in higher education, said Prof D Narayan Rao, President of the Indian Science Congress 2017.<br /><br />He, however, could not provide the details of the same.<br /><br />Six Nobel laureates were also felicitated for their achievements.<br /><br />The Ministry of Science and Technology said the awards are decided by the Indian Science Congress and the government has no role to play in it.<br /><br />"The (S&T) department has no role to play in this. The awards are decided by the Indian Science Congress, which is an autonomous body," DST Secretary Ashutosh Sharma said.<br />Podile said he was honoured for his guidance and leadership in the field of science and technology.<br /><br />"I am on the Department of Science and Technology's Programme Advisory Committee on Plant Sciences and also a member of the Task Force for Biological Agents for Agriculture for the last 10-12 years," the VC said.<br /><br />Podile was in the eye of a storm after Vemula committed suicide in 2015 alleging harassment by the University management. Podile's role had come under a scanner after Vemula and five students were suspended from hostel.<br /><br />The HCU students had staged protests for days demanding Podile's removal.</p>