Hyderabad University gets Presidents award

New Delhi: Hyderabad  University was on Wednesday given the first President’s award for the best university for academic excellence and overall outstanding work. 

The award, which carries a citation and a trophy, was given by President Pranab Mukherjee to Hyderabad University’s Vice Chancellor Prof E Haribabu during a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan’s Durbar Hall. 

The Hyderabad University, which was established in October 1974, is a premier institution of post graduate teaching and research in the country. It has National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) rating of 3.72 on a scale of four.

Two Delhi University teachers — Vijay K Chaudhary and Amita Gupta — have also been awarded Visitor’s award for innovation for carrying out unique research that led to a product ‘TB Confirm’ for rapid diagnostic test for deadly Tuberculosis disease. 

Chaudhary is a Professor and head at the Delhi University’s Department of Biochemistry and Gupta is working as Associate Professor in the same department. 

They have developed a novel immunochromatography-based assay for the rapid identification of Mycobacterium Tuberoculosis (MTB) from culture, according to the detail mentioned in the presentation ceremony. 

The assay has been licensed to Span Diagnostics Ltd, Surat. In addition, an Indian patent is filed for it and approval of Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has been obtained for commercial diagnostic use of the assay. 

The test, developed by the duo, reduces the time of TB confirmation in culture from several days to less than 20 minutes and maintains highest standards of accurate diagnosis, it said. 

The award in this category carries a cash reward of Rs one lakh.