Satya Atluri Honored with India’s Third-Highest Civilian Award

Update: 04.25.13: The President of India conferred upon Professor Satya Atluri the Padma Bhushan Award at the President's Residence in New Delhi on April 20. You can watch the investiture ceremony here, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjwZMmr4rhs. Atluri is the third recipient.

The Government of India has announced that UC Irvine Distinguished Professor Satya Atluri will receive the 2013 Padma Bhushan Award. The country’s third-highest civilian award, the Padma Bhushan is given by the President of India to honor distinguished service of the highest order. It is announced every year on the eve of Republic Day.

Atluri is an award-winning engineer in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and the director of the Center for Aerospace Research and Education at The Henry Samueli School of Engineering. His widely-cited research spans several disciplines and has led to greater aircraft safety and durability.

“As a teenager growing up in India, I followed with awe the two or three Padma Bhushan awardees in the sciences, each year,” wrote Atluri in a note to colleagues. “I never dreamt that one day I would be considered to be worthy of this award, but here it is, proof only of the fruits of labor and commitment to science, education and research. I want to share my immense joy on this occasion, and thank UCI for giving me a job and an opportunity to think, to teach and to publish.”

Atluri is one of six honorees in the category of science and engineering and is one of 24 total to receive the honor this year. The awards are conferred by the President of India sometime in the spring.