JRD Tata Memorial Awards

Mr JRD Tata built a strong base for a social movement to stabilize India’s population growth, to secure a better life for its people. As a tribute to its visionary leader, the Governing Board of Population Foundation of India instituted a national award in his name in 1996. The JRD Tata Memorial Awards are given to states and districts that have demonstrated outstanding achievements in population and reproductive health and family planning programmes. Since 1997, in six consecutive rounds, various states and districts have been awarded the JRD Tata Memorial Awards. The winners are selected on the basis of their current levels of performance on crucial indicators, as well as the pace of progress achieved over time.

2018 Winners

Winners Categories
Sikkim High-Focus North East States
Chandigarh Union Territories
Punjab Non High Focus Large States
Chattisgarh High-focus Large states
Baksa, Assam High Focus Large States
Low Wealth Level District
Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh High Focus Large States
High Wealth Level District
Jagatsinghpur, Odisha High Focus Large States
Moderate Wealth Level District
Ernakulam, Kerala Non High Focus Large States
High Wealth Level District
Winners Categories
Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu Non High Focus Large States
Low Wealth Level District
The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu Non High Focus Large States
Moderate Wealth Level District
Akola, Maharashtra Non High Focus Large States
Low Wealth Level District
Aizawl, Mizoram High Focus North East States
High Wealth Level District
Upper Siang, Arunachal Pradesh High Focus North East States
Moderate Wealth Level District
Phek, Nagaland High Focus North East States
Low Wealth Level District

JRD Tata Memorial Oration

The annual lecture series `Encounter with Population Crisis’ instituted in 1991, invited notable international and national guests to speak on critical issues related to population and development. The series was dedicated to the memory of Mr JRD Tata in 1995, Population Foundation of India’s silver jubilee year. The Orations have been delivered by Mr I.K. Gujral (former Prime Minister), Dr Nafis Sadik, Mr Jamshed J Irani, Dr Manmohan Singh (former Prime Minister), Mr Nitin Desai, Professor Amartya Sen and Dr Babatunde Osotimehin (former Executive Director, United Nations Population Fund), among others.

15th JRD Tata Memorial Oration

The 15th JRD Tata Memorial Oration was delivered by Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist, World Health Organization (WHO)

Dr. Soumya Swaminathan is the Chief Scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), heading the division created to strengthen the organisation’s core scientific work and to ensure the quality and consistency of its norms and standards. A paediatrician from India and a globally recognised researcher on Tuberculosis and HIV, she brings with her, 30 years of experience in clinical care and research and has worked throughout her career to translate research into impactful programmes. Most recently, Dr. Swaminathan was Secretary of the Department of Health Research and Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research from 2009 to 2011. She has been part of WHO and global advisory bodies and committees, including the WHO Expert Panel to Review Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property, the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group of the Global TB Department at WHO, and as Co-Chair of the Lancet Commission on TB. She received her academic training in India and the United Kingdom. She has published more than 250 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters.

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