Nagarjuna University and the BHU before his present tenure as Vice-Chancellor at Andhra University. He is the recipient of "Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award- 1994 and Bharat Vikas Excellency Award in 1996. While serving as Vice Chancellor, in three universities, he has introduced several innovations and reforms in higher education. 

                         2003  Prof.  Ram  Takwale,   former
                        Vice-Chancellor, Chairman,   Executive
                        Committee,     NAAC,   Bangalore.   A
                         physicist   by   training,   he  has   made
                        enormous contributions  to improve  the
                        higher education system  as well. He has
developed a model of state open university, consolidated and expanded the open and distance education system. He has been supporting and formulating new ideas in the field of ICT by establishing and leading several ICT based organizations devoted to education. He has been the Vice-Chancellor of Pune University and IGNOU.

2. Sociology 

                         2002   Dr.     K.      L.         Sharma,
                         Vice-Chancellor,       University      of
                         Rajasthan, Jaipur. Prof.  Sharma   has
                         served Jawaharlal Nehru University for
                         over 3 decades. He   has   contributed
                         signigicantly on social stratification and
mobility,       Legal   Profession,   Tribal   and   Peasant
Movements and Urban Studies.

3. Economics 
                         2002 Dr. V.B. Jugale, Prof. & Head,
                         Dept.       of       Economics,     Shivaji
                         University,       Kolhapur.     He      has
                         contributions on Monetary Economics
                         and    Agricultural     Economics    and
                         cooperation.

                         2003      Dr.  M. Upender,    Prof. of
                         Economics,      Osmania      University,
                         Hyderabad. He has contributed  in  the
                         field     of     Applied      Econometrics.


4. Political Science
2002 No nomination was found suitable
2003 No nomination was found suitable

5. Environmental Science and Ecology

                         2002                Prof.    Raghavendra
                         Gadagkar,   Centre    for    Ecological
                         Sciences, Indian Institute  of   Science,
                         Bangalore. He  has  contributed  to the
                         understanding   of   the   structure   and
                         evolution    of    insect    societies   and
evolution of social life in animals.

                         2003        Prof.     Radhey     Shyam
                        Ambasht, Dept. of  Botany,    Banaras
                        Hindu   University,   Varanasi.  He  has
                        contributed  in  the field of ecology and
                        environmental   science.   He  has  done
                        innovative research on  soil,  water  and
nutrient conservation on hilly slopes and river banks, natural and plantation forests, grasslands and wetlands.

The Indian nationals working in the university system or those who have been associated with the universities or institutions recognized for research/advanced study, are eligible for the award. The prize is awarded to an individual or a team, for outstanding scholarly/scientific work which has made important contribution to human knowledge in the specified areas and has thrown light on the problems in a new manner. The nominations for the award are invited each year by the University Grants Commission from the universities/institutions of national importance, etc. The nominations are scrutinized by a committee of experts in the specified areas. The recommendations made by the committee are finalized by the Commission.