CHANDIGARH: Jatinder Kaur Arora, an outstanding scientist from Punjab has been conferred with national award for women's development through science & technology by President of India on 11th May, the 'Technology Day'.

Arora, a doctorate in Microbiology has brilliant academic record, was awarded merit fellowship during graduation & post-graduation and ICAR fellowship during doctorate programme. After a stint as Assistant Professor in Punjab Agricultural University , she joined Punjab State Council for Science & Technology in 1990 and is presently Joint Director in the Council. Arora, through her innovative interventions has created sustainable welfare programmes for women having great impact in the state of Punjab.

She has executed various prestigious projects including mission mode project on Rhizobium biofertilizer, solid waste management through vermicomposting and promotion of cultivation & value addition through processing of medicinal & aromatic plants. She has also launched awareness campaigns on causes and prevention of genetic disorders which led to significant positive shift in prevailing perceptions of rural women. She is coordinating promotion of neem based environment friendly pesticide in Punjab under Govt. of India and UNIDO supported multi-institutional project.

Arora drafted Biotechnology Policy of Punjab, has authored/edited several books, research papers, popular articles and has developed educational software's for UNESCO for use in developing countries. She has been Member, Govt. of India's Task Force on 'Biotechnology based programmes for Women & Rural Development' and is recipient of 'Sulochini Lekhika Purasskar' and 'Adarsh Samaj Sewak Puruskar' awarded by Maharashtra Dalit Sahitya Academy. She has also been contributing towards promotion of grass root S&T applications as member of various professional bodies and guest faculty to several institutions.