Two scientists at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) – National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Visakhapatnam Regional Centre, Dr VVSS Sarma, and Dr Jagadeesan Laganthan, bagged National Awards for their contribution in the field of oceanography. The scientists from Visakhapatnam- Senior Principal Scientist, Dr Sarma has been selected for the National Award of Excellence by the Ministry of Earth Sciences while Dr Laganthan has been chosen for the CSIR Young Scientist Award.
The Senior Principal Scientist at NIO, Visakhapatnam Regional Centre, has been conferred with the honour in view of his significant role in understanding the biogeochemistry of the Indian Ocean. He worked extensively on trace gases fluxes. Results obtained from his observations helped to estimate trace gas emissions from the Indian Ocean and their global significance. These results have strong implications for the future ocean biogeochemical modelling of the Indian Ocean and to plan strategies for environmental research in estuarine and coastal ecosystems of India.
Dr Sarma had further quantified the variability in CO2 emissions from the Indian Ocean in time and space. These studies play a significant role in describing the biogeochemistry of the region and planning research with respect to human interference and climate change of the Indian Ocean.
Another scientist at NIO, Visakhapatnam Regional Centre, Dr Laganthan has been selected for the CSIR Young Scientist Award in the earth, atmosphere, ocean, and planetary science for 2020. the young scientist’s remarkable contributions to the plankton ecology in the context of the marine ecosystem in the eastern Bay of Bengal, Gulf of Mannar, and in the mud bank phenomenon along the southwest coast of India, landed him the special honour.
In addition to the field-based studies, Dr Laganthan has derived numerical coefficients to estimate plankton growth, grazing, mortality, respiration, and egg production which will help to improve ecosystem modelling studies.
