IISc’s Disphikha Chakravortty receives DBT’s Tata Innovation Fellowship 2020-21

New Delhi: Dr Dipshikha Chakravortty of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore has received this year’s Tata Innovation Fellowship 2020-21 given by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India.

Dr Chakravortty is currently a Professor, at the Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology(MCB), Astra Chair Professor, and also Associate Faculty, Bio-systems Science and Engineering at IISc, Bangalore.

 “Tata Innovation Fellowship”, a highly competitive and demanding scheme instituted by the DBT to recognize and reward scientists with an outstanding track record in biological sciences to find innovative solutions to major problems in health care, agriculture, environment and other allied areas related to life sciences and biotechnology.

The amount of the fellowship is Rs. 25,000/- per month in addition to the regular salary from the host institute. In addition, each Fellow will receive a contingency grant of Rs 6 lakh per annum for meeting the expenses. The fellowship is given for three to five years.

Dr Chakravortty studied from Nagpur University and Pune University and later carried out higher studies in Japan and Germany through international fellowships prior to joining IISc. Her research work involves vaccine development, molecular diagnosis of infectious diseases, food microbiology, molecular pathogenesis of infectious diseases and bio- system engineering program leading to needless delivery of vaccines and medicine using cutting edge use of shock wave systems. She has scientific collaborations with various organizations in India and abroad.

Dr Chakravortty is also a recipient of the National Bioscience award from DBT, India for Career Development, one of the highest Indian science awards. She was elected fellows of the National Academy of Sciences, elected as a fellow in the Indian National Science Academy and The Indian Academy of Sciences. She is also a recipient of Prof S. K. Chatterjee award of the Indian Institute of Science. She has also been awarded NASI Reliance Platinum Jubilee Award DAE SRC Outstanding Investigator Award.  She has received Alexander von Humboldt fellowship and was a member of the IISc Team that won a gold medal at iGEM 2017 and the iGEM 2018 contest, held in Boston.

She has published more than 130 internal journals in peer-reviewed journals. Dr Dipshikha has mentored many doctoral students and currently mentoring students in various areas of research. She has been extending many national and international seminars on various topics for various organizations and institutes.