Prof. Hardev Singh Virk, a pioneer in interdisciplinary research in India, has been honoured with FRAY International Sustainability Award for his groundbreaking research in irradiating minerals, glasses, polymers and other insulators using heavy ion beams. His outstanding contributions to understanding the health hazards by measuring Radon concentration in air, soil and groundwater and earthquake prediction in the Himalayas have led to the development of applications for sustainable development of the region. Fray International Sustainability Award, named after Prof. Derek Fray of Cambridge University, is conferred, since 2011, to prominent academics, CEOs, Politicians and Institutions globally.
Fray International Sustainability Award was conferred to Prof. Virk by Dr. Florian Kongoli, the Chair of the symposium and President of SIPS 2022, The Sustainability Through Science and Technology/Sustainable Industrial Processing Summit, held in Phuket, Thailand, from 27 Nov. to 1 Dec. 2022. The award ceremony, held on 29 November 2022, was attended by many eminent international scientists, CEOs, and nine Nobel Laureates.
Given Prof. Virk’s excellent contributions to science and technology, Virk International Symposium on Physics, Technology & Interdisciplinary Research for Sustainable Development was also organized as part of SIPS 2022, in which twenty eminent scientists presented their research findings.
Prof. Hardev Singh Virk is the First Punjabi Sikh and First Indian (from India) to be conferred with this prestigious award for his scientific research in diverse areas of Radiation Physics, Earthquake and Radon Studies, Nanotechnology, Environmental Sustainability, and Heavy Metal contamination in Groundwater of Punjab.
The Sustainability Through Science and Technology/Sustainable Industrial Processing Summit (SIPS), a multidimensional and multidisciplinary summit, is being organized by FLOGEN STARS OUTREACH, a not-for-profit international organization annually since 2003.
Professor Hardev Singh Virk, born in 1942 at Kamo Ke, District Gujranwala (now in Pakistan), is an international Physicist, renowned academician, and a profound scholar of Sikhism. After receiving his M. Sc. (Physics) degree in 1963 from Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, he started his teaching career at G. N. E. College, Ludhiana. In 1965, he joined Punjabi University, Patiala, wherein he served till 1979. In 1970, he was selected for French Govt. Scholarship to pursue his research interests in Nuclear Physics at Marie Curie University, Paris. Therein, for his outstanding research work, the university awarded him a Doctoral degree in 1972.
On joining, as Head, Dept. of Physics, at Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), Amritsar, in July 1979, he played a vital role in laying the infrastructure for the promotion of educational/research activities at the university in many diverse fields, e.g., Radiation Physics, Geophysics, Geochemistry, Heavy Ion Physics, Thin Film Technology, Acoustics, and Plasma Physics. He retired from GNDU Amritsar in 2002 after serving as Founder Head, Dept. of Physics, and Dean (Academics). Later on, he served as Director (Research) at DAVIET, Jalandhar (2008-11); Adjunct Professor at Eternal University, Baru Sahib (HP); Visiting Professor at SGGS World University, Fatehgarh Sahib (2013-17); and Professor of Eminence, Punjabi University, Patiala (2017-19).
In his long career as a Physicist, he is credited with the publication of about 450 research papers in national and international journals, 45 books in areas of science, religion, and literature, 150 articles on science policy, education, and reviews of books. Besides, he has served on many national and international advisory boards. For almost five years (2011-15), he had the honour of working as Editor of the Solid State Phenomena series, published by TRANS TECH Switzerland. During his long unblemished professional career, Professor Virk has travelled to over 50 countries to pursue his academic/research activities and promote science in many developing countries.
Having served as an educationist and administrator for over forty-two years at various prestigious educational institutions in India, he has also established himself as an eminent writer in the field of Sikh theology. Prof. Virk, a founder member of the School of Scientific and Logical Interpretation of Gurbani, is committed to bringing out the truth of Gurbani logically, rationally and scientifically. He has published about one dozen books related to Sikhism. He has been honoured for his services to the Sikh cause by several Sikh and non-Sikh organizations, e.g., SGPC, Amritsar; ICCR, Govt. of India; and Templeton Foundation, USA. He has also been honored with Shiromani Award for Scientific Literature in Punjabi (1993) by Govt. of Punjab.
References:
- The Sustainability through Science and Technology/Sustainable Industrial Processing Summit: https://www.flogen.org/sips2022/
- Virk International Symposium on Physics, Technology & Interdisciplinary Research for Sustainable Development: https://www.flogen.org/sips2022/Hardev_Singh_Virk.php
- Flogen Stars Outreach: https://www.flogen.org/
- Fray International Sustainability Award: https://www.flogen.org/?p=36
- Award Ceremony of Prof. Virk: https://youtu.be/Ucb_uyPJ9PI
- Award website: https://www.flogen.org/?p=38&bio=Virk
- Singh, D. P. (2020). An International Physicist and a Dedicated Proponent of Sikhism- Prof. Hardev Singh Virk. The Sikh Review, Kolkata, WB, India. 68(5). 61-69.
