Praghna Research Prize

Praghna Centre for Research is a not-for-profit educational institute. We are committed to promoting scientific temper, humanism, and spirit of inquiry as indicated U/A 51(h) of the Indian Constitution through original research among students and emerging scholars. 

Founded in June 2021, this year we marks our anniversary on 07 June every year. To commemorate the occasion, we have announced six research awards:

V. Rajamanickam Prize: For best research paper in political science or historical studies

Kalavathi Rajamanickam Prize: For best research paper in socio-cultural studies

Group Captain Arun Bhatnagar Prize: For best research paper in defense studies

Radhe Shyam Gupta Book Prize in Strategic, Security and Defense Studies 

KN Venkatraman Prize in Education and Developmental Studies

Lakshmi Venkatraman Prize for Women, Community Development and Climate Change

Criteria for awards

1. The study must be relevant to Indian context

2. Interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary studies are especially encouraged

3. The work must be original and previously unpublished

4. The author must be a student of graduate or postgraduate studies program or a research scholar pursuing PhD/Post Doc

5.  Co-authors, if they are also students/research scholars, are permitted 

Award Details

1. The Award will carry a cash prize of INR 2000 with a certificate for the best research papers. The book prize carries a cash prize of INR 3000

2. Accepted papers and books will be subjected to blind review

3. Papers and books accepted in review will be judged by qualified jury

4. Awards will be announced and handed to selected authors on the Anniversary of Praghna Centre for Research, on 07 June every year

5. Papers accepted in review will be published by Electronic Journal of Social and Strategic Studies (ISSN online: 2582-9645), subject to review. Executive summary of the books will also be published

About the Prizes

The first two prizes are named after our patron-parents who are the reason for establishing Praghna Centre for Research. Shri. V Rajamanickam, 92 years old, is a former teacher who received Best Teacher Award from the Govt. of Tamil Nadu twice. Srimati. Kalavathi Rajamanickam, 83 years old, is the inspiration behind Praghna, for she believes in progress through the pursuit of knowledge.

The 3rd prize is named after late Group Captain Arun K. Bhatnagar, an exceptional officer and gentleman who was deeply involved in formulating policies and programs in the security dimension for the Air Force. Both Arun Bhatnagar and Dr. R Srinivasan (Director, Praghna) were commissioned into the Indian Air Force on 07 June 1986 and served together as Deputy Provost Marshals with the Provost Marshal (Air) at Air Headquarters New Delhi from 2003 to 2006. Group Captain Arun Bhatnagar unfortunately passed away in a crash while traveling on duty.

The book prize is named after late Sri. Radhe Shyam Gupta (1918-2008) who was a freedom fighter during Civil Disobedience Movement in the 1930s and continued to work for the upliftment of the downtrodden by donating his land for building schools and promoting education, in the post-independence period. Professor MK Gupta of UPES Dehradun has sponsored this prize in memory of his grandfather.

The 4th prize is named after Late Shri. KN Venkatraman who founded ‘The Bharat Education Society’ in 1959 which aimed to provide English Medium School exclusively for under privileged class of the society. Initially, 12 students were enrolled and 1 class teacher was hired in the Leela Typing Institute at Kurla, Mumbai. This was inaugurated under the name Bharat Education Vidyalayam by Shri V.K. Krishna Menon, the then Defence Minister of India. In due course, this was rechristened as “Karthika” High school & Jr. College. The current strength of KHS & Jr College is over 8000 students. A Branch of KHS, ‘The Vivek English High School, established in 1972 at Quereshi Nagar, Kurla East (1-10th Classes) has 1143 Students now. The Second Branch ‘The Matheran Valley English Medium School, established 2006 is located in Karjat block of Raigarh (Maharashtra) district of Maharashtra. This school consists of Grades from 1 to 9 and Strength around 1000 Students. Shri. KN Venkataraman was also an active participant in the initial growth of SIES, SIWS and Vani Vidyalaya, Kalyan.

The 5th prize is named after Late Shrimati. Lakshmi Venkatraman who walked hand in hand with Shri. KN Venkataraman in not only managing the family, but also chose to work on great social projects for societal development. She encouraged women in neighborhood to obtain education and thereby contributing to social development.

The Call for Papers for the prizes are issued towards the end of March every year. Please watch the space below or follow Praghna Centre for Research on LinkedIn.