AMRITSAR: Prof. Vandana Bhalla from the Department of Chemistry of the Guru Nanak Dev University, has been honoured with the prestigious fellowship of the Indian Academy of Sciences (IAS), Bangalore. This recognition places her among the leading scientists in the country and marks a historic achievement for GNDU, as she becomes only the third individual from the university to receive this distinction in the past 55 years.
Congratulating Prof. Bhalla, GNDU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Karmjeet Singh said, “This is a moment of immense pride for the University. The Indian Academy of Sciences, founded by Nobel laureate Sir C.V. Raman in 1934, is one of India’s most esteemed science academies, dedicated to advancing scientific research and education.”
Prof. Bhalla's pioneering work in organic and physical-organic chemistry has earned her international recognition. Her research focuses on developing novel molecular components capable of self-assembly in aqueous media and advancing metal-free photosensitizing assemblies with potential applications in catalytic bond formation. She has published over 215 research papers in high-impact journals, boasting an impressive h-index of 57 and i10 index of 172.
Highlighting her contributions, Prof. Palwinder Singh, Head of the Department of Chemistry, GNDU, remarked, “Prof. Bhalla's exceptional research output and academic contributions reflect her dedication and innovation. This fellowship is a testament to her hard work and the support of the GNDU community.”
Prof. Bhalla's achievements also include the AV Rama Rao Prize from the Chemical Research Society of India, the SERB-POWER Fellowship, INSA Teacher award, Rajib Goyal Award, Prof. S. S. Sandhu Endowment Award by Indian Chemical Society, First Shiv Nath Rai Kohli Mid-Career Best Scientist Award by Panjab University, Chandigarh, Bhagya-Tara award by Panjab University, Thomson Reuters Research Excellence India Citation Award, Bronze Medal by Chemical Research Society of India (CRSI), Bangalore and her role as an Associate Editor of RSC Advances and a member of the International Advisory Board of Chemistry: An Asian Journal and Member Editorial Board of Asian Journal of Organic Chemistry.She owes this fellowship and other awards to Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar and her very hard-working team of brilliant students from time to time and all those who helped/supported her in the research career so far.
This recognition underscores GNDU’s commitment to fostering groundbreaking research and academic excellence.