New Delhi, July 16: Two Indian space scientists, Prahlad Chandra Agrawal and Anil Bhardwaj, were honoured on Monday evening with prestigious awards by the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR), the world’s first scientific body dedicated to space science research.

Agrawal, one of the seniormost space scientists in India and a retired professor in the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, received the Harrie Massey Award at the 45th COSPAR scientific assembly, which opened in Busan, South Korea, on Monday. The award citation said the Harrie Massey Award recognises outstanding contributions to space research in which a leadership role is of particular importance.

Anil Bhardwaj, director of the Ahmedabad-based Physical Research Laboratory, was awarded the Vikram Sarabhai Medal, which honours outstanding space science research in developing countries. This medal was instituted jointly by COSPAR and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Along with a medal and citation, the award for Agrawal also involves naming of a minor planet after the scientist. Agrawal, best known for his work in X-ray astronomy, led the AstroSat programme, India’s first multiwavelength astronomy satellite, which was launched in 2015 and is still under operation. Astrosat observations have been cited in over 300 research papers, a statement said. He was also involved in the Chandrayaan-1 mission.

Bhardwaj, director of PRL since 2017, specialises in planetary space sciences and solar system exploration. He has been a key player in all of ISRO’s recent scientific missions, including Chandrayaan, Mangalyaan, and the Aditya-L1 missions.

The Committee on Space Research, one of the largest forums for space scientists, was established in 1958, immediately after the launch of the first-ever satellite by the then Soviet Union in 1957. It holds its scientific assembly every two years, attracting between 2,000 and 3,000 scientists worldwide.-Agencies