Prof M V Pylee Award Presented to Prof P B Sunil Kumar

KOCHI:
‘Prof. M.V. Pylee award for the distinguished academician of India-2019’ was conferred on Prof. Dr. P.B. Sunil Kumar, Director, IIT, Palakkad at a function conducted strictly observing Covid 19 protocol at the Science Seminar Complex, Cochin University of Science and Technology on Friday.

The award which carries a cash prize of Rs. One lakh, a citation and memento, was presented to Dr Sunil Kumar jointly by Vice Dr K N Madhusoodanan and Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr P.G. Sankaran. Accepting the award, Prof. Sunil Kumar said that we need to re-orient higher education into a multidisciplinary mode
rather than continuing with compartmentalisation of disciplines.

“My selection for this award may be an indication of my future association with CUSAT in the role of a Visiting Professor or researcher”, he hoped. Prof. Sunil Kumar was selected for the award out of a total of 17 nominations received, on the basis of his contributions as a great scholar, teacher, researcher, team leader as the head of various divisions in different IITs across the country besides as an institution builder who developed IIT Palakkad from scrap first as the Professor in charge and later as its Director.

Cochin University of Science and Technology has been giving the award in the name of Late Prof. M.V. Pylee, world- renowned management expert and teacher, Founder Director of School of Management at Cochin University and later its Vice Chancellor and known as the ‘Father of Management education in Kerala, to great teachers/scientists from a university/institution who have contributed immensely to the society as a scholar, teacher, researcher, team/organisation leader, institution builder, etc since 1996. Prof. Sunil Kumar is the 10 th in the series and the first after the demise of Prof. Pylee in December 1997. Dr V Meera, Registrar, CUSAT, Prof. P R Poduval, Prof. M Bhasi, Director, C-SiS, Dr S Harikumar, Dean, Social Science, and Dr Benjamin Varghese, Controller of Examinations attended the function while Dr Kuncheria P Isaac, awardee for 2017 joined online.