Mangalore : IIST, the elite space science institute, has awarded the coveted Gold Medal to Ms. Sowmya Kamath of Mangalore for being the Topper in Physical Science. She received the honour from Dr R. Chidambaram, the eminent nuclear scientist and metallurgist (currently serving as the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Prime Minister of India) and former President, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, who is also the Chancellor of IIST during the Convocation held on Monday, 03 June 2013 at IIST Campus at Thiruvananthapuram.

Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram is Asia’s first Space University. It functions as an autonomous body under the Department of Space, Government of India. IIST has the unique mandate of encouraging and equipping brilliant youngsters from all parts of the country to take up a career as Scientist/Engineer in the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).

An alumnus of St Agnes Institutions and Canara PU College, Ms. Sowmya Kamath is the daughter Mrs. Shantha and Mr. Surathkal Srinivas Kamath of Pound Garden, Kadri, Mangalore. At present she is working as a scientist at Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad, the national Research Institute for space and allied sciences founded by Dr. Vikram Sarabhai and a subsidiary of ISRO.

Last year, her sister Dr Shwetha Kamath was conferred the gold medal for Best Junior Resident for 2012 by His Excellency Dr Pranab Mukherjee, President of India during the convocation ceremony of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) held in New Delhi.