PANSPERMIA FUND
In October 2016, during India’s first ever Astrobiology Conference, IARC had announced that a fund will be set-up to trigger panspermia related research, primarily in India.
This fund was named as Chandra Wickramasinghe Panspermia Fund in the honor of the world-renowned astrobiologist, Prof. (Dr.) Chandra Wickramashinghe.
Now with the incorporation of IARF and transition from IARC completed, we are glad to announce the Chandra Wickramasinghe Panspermia Fund is now active.
To begin with up to Rs. 50,000 will be made available to trigger basic interests in panspermia related research at high school and under graduate level. The form to apply for the fund will be available from March 20, 2020 and the evaluation of the proposals will take about two months.
The first dispersal of the fund will happen on June 24, 2020, to coincide with the 105th birth anniversary of the famous astronomer, Sir Fred Hoyle.
Prof. (Dr.) Chandra Wickramashinghe was a student and collaborator of Sir Fred Hoyle, together they worked in panspermia related research for over four decades.
Note – Owing to the ongoing pandemic and lockdowns in India, the fund activation was delayed, and it will now be active from Nov 2020 onward.