JMI Professor selected for the prestigious Visitor’s Award 2020 for Research
It is a matter of great pride for the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) that Professor Mohd. Zahid Ashraf, Head, Department of Biotechnology will be conferred with the prestigious Visitor’s Award 2020 by the Hon’ble President Shri Ram Nath Kovind at a function to be organised at the Rashtrapati Bhavan for his pioneering research on resolving the mystery of blood clotting on exposure to hypoxia at high altitudes.
Prof. Ashraf will be receiving this award under the Biological Sciences category. His work has significantly contributed towards developing strategy for an early diagnosis and treatment of thrombosis at extremely challenging environmental conditions at high altitudes.
Prof Najma Akhtar, Vice Chancellor, JMI congratulated Prof. Ashraf for this honour and mentioned that it is a recognition for the research accomplishments by the university and Prof. Ashraf’s achievements will motivate other faculty members towards pursuit of excellence in research along with academics.
The Vice Chancellor said that the university is committed towards the Government of India’s mission to increase science education, research and promote STEM.
The commendation has been made keeping in view of Prof. Ashraf’s immense contribution in the area of hypoxia and their crucial role in the development of cardiovascular diseases.
Prof. Ashraf is an elected Fellow of National Academy of Sciences, Allahabad and the Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore. He is a member of distinguished Guha Research Council.
Prof. Ashraf is also the recipient of ICMR’s Basanti Devi Amir Chand and DBT’s National Biosciences Award for his seminal work on high altitude related thrombosis in the Indian population. The outcome of his research has given insights to our understanding of blood clot formation on ascension to mountains, sports, pilgrimage and soldier’s working under hostile environments.
It is worth mentioning that this is the second time a JMI Professor has been selected for the Visitor’s Award. Earlier in 2015, Cosmology and Astrophysics Research Group headed by Prof. M. Sami of Centre for Theoretical Physics, JMI also received the Visitor’s Award for path breaking research carried out in the field of Contemporary Issues in Astrophysics & Cosmology.