Academic scholarship and scientific inquiry took centre stage in Guwahati on Tuesday as eighty faculty members, research scientists, and doctoral scholars were formally felicitated for their pioneering contributions. At the Eminence in Research Awards and Research Reward Ceremony 2026, Assam down town University disbursed research incentives totalling Rs 67,48,327. The financial rewards recognized achievements spanning indexed journal publications, citations, granted patents, sponsored research projects, scholarly volumes, book chapters, high-tier Q1 publications, and doctoral research milestones.
Keynote Address and Global Perspectives
The ceremony commenced with a special lecture delivered under the Distinguished Scientists Lecture Series by Dr. Shannon B. Olsson, Founder and Global Director of The Echo Network. Dr. Olsson, a United States citizen currently working as a faculty member at the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), has been actively involved in cutting-edge research and educational programmes. During the proceedings, she also handed over the research rewards, certificates, and mementoes to the recognized recipients.
Fostering a Culture of Research and Discovery
Addressing the gathering, the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. (Dr.) Narayan Chandra Talukdar, highlighted the foundational role of research in modern higher education. Prof. Talukdar observed, "Research is an important part of the academic environment at AdtU. These awards provide an opportunity to recognise the sustained work of our faculty members, researchers and scholars and the different ways in which they contribute to knowledge creation. The range of categories this year also reflects the breadth of research activity taking place across the university."
Top Honours: Best Researcher of the Year
Among individual recipients, Dr. Partha Pratim Dutta, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, claimed the single largest research award of Rs 7,23,500. Dr. Dutta was additionally selected as the Best Researcher for 2026, which carried a separate cash reward of Rs 50,000, a commemorative memento, and a merit certificate. This comprehensive distinction reflected sustained excellence across paper publications, scholarly citations, patent development, and externally funded initiatives.
Recognising Innovation, Patents, and Rising Talent
Technological ingenuity was celebrated with the Best Innovator Award 2026, presented to Dr. Prasanta Pratim Bairagi, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Computer Technology, for securing the highest tally of granted patents during the assessment cycle. Emerging academic talent was also acknowledged through gender-specific categories. Dr. Prakash Kishore Hazam, Assistant Professor (Research Faculty) in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, bagged the Emerging Researcher Award in the male category. The female counterpart of the award was conferred upon Dr. Dulumani Das, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Computer Technology.
High-Impact Publications and Academic Authorship
Quality indexing formed a major criterion in the evaluation process. Dr. Himangshu Deka, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, received the High Impact Factor Publication Award in the male category. In the female category, Assistant Professor Dr. Srijita Chakrabarti, from the same faculty, claimed the distinction for publishing research in a journal boasting an impact factor of 10.4. Academic contributions in long-form authorship were also rewarded. The Excellence in Book Chapter Publication Award went to Dr. Rajib Mandal, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences. The Excellence in Book Publication Award 2026 was shared between Dr. Krishnakhi Choudhury, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences, and Dr. Dipankar Saikia, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology.
Grants, Citations, and Doctoral Research Milestones
Scholarly resonance was honoured through the Highest Citation Impact Award 2026, presented to Prof. (Dr.) Saikat Sen, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, for recording the highest citation count in the review period. Dr. Prakash Kishore Hazam added to his earlier tally by securing the Highest Research Grant Award 2026 for bringing in the greatest monetary volume of sponsored extramural funding. Under Clarivate indexing standards, Dr. Barenya Bikash Hazarika, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Computer Technology, was awarded the Highest Q1 Publication Award 2026. Doctoral-level excellence was recognized with the Best Research Scholar Award 2026, conferred upon Mr. Pervej Alom Barbhuiya, Project Research Scientist-I in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, for his publications, conference presentations, and patent outputs. The gathering served as a unified institutional forum encouraging academic inquiry across diverse career stages.
