Mysuru: Dr Renu Agrawal who had earlier worked as a Chief Scientist in the Food Microbiology Department at CSIR-CFTRI has been awarded the prestigious ‘Karmaveer Chakra (Puraskar) award,’ a coveted award launched in association with United Nation recently. The award was presented to Renu in Delhi on November 27.
Renu, born in Rajasthan, became the first Mysurean to receive the award. After retiring from service, she is now working as an advisor for outreach activities at CFTRI.
Karmaveer Chakra award is presented for exemplary work done for the society beyond a person’s regular work. Renu has represented India as a team leader taking scientific delegations for Asia meet at Bali in Indonesia, nominated by Union Government on food policies. She is in the research field for the past 32 years. Her areas of specialization include bio-transformation of inexpensive and readily available precursor compounds into high valued, high cost bio active molecules, microbial physiology, fermentation and probiotics. She has also worked on probiotic innovative functional foods and has been successful in improving health by natural means. Renu has guided students for M.Sc, M. phil and PhD (Biotechnology and Microbiology). She has 60 research papers, more than 160 conference papers, 20 patents and three microbial processes purchased by more than 100 industries presently in market.
Even though she is busy with her official work, still she makes time to serve society by running many fellowships for poor meritorious students, pre fixed auto stand in Mysuru for public, fellowship for PhD students of Acsir at CFTRI for rural work, teaching free one girl child every year, conducting Annual national level Novel competition on burning topics at Akhila Bhartiya Parishad, Rajasthan (TA,DA and prizes given), Co-Chairing the Expert Committee on Scheme for Young Scientists and Technologists (SYST), and CODER DST, Govt. of India, New Delhi, nurturing young scientists for projects of societal relevance. She is also into Rotary Inner wheel Mysuru midtown, empowering different strata of society. She is also the councillor for Police commissioner helpline, Mysore Grahakara Parishad taking up problems of the common man, Central Pensioners welfare association and has worked as Coordinator for CSIR-CFTRI as Rural Development coordinator.
Renu said, “It’s my duty to work for different sections of the society may be farmers, women, rural folk, disabled and people in grief. It gives me immense pleasure. I have never looked it as an achievement but it is the outlook and grace of people towards me. I want to thank each and everyone and various associations for making me worthy. I definitely feel motivated to do more and would put my best efforts and abilities for the betterment of society with more emphasis on Karnataka as I have lived here for almost 40 years and I feel that it is my foremost duty. I want to take up more projects for rural development. I want to dedicate this award to the public of Mysuru city who have been very kind to me and every time I have got an award they have been my backbone”.
She has been honoured by fellowships as FAMI, FISBT, FNABS, and FSAB, Women Achievers award by the “International Guild of Women Achievers” and India International Friendship society. NABS conferred her with the “Best Woman Scientist” award.
