Newsmakers 2020: People Who Made It Big In Education And Otherwise In 2020 As Newsmakers

Newsmakers 2020: Even as 2020 nears an end, it will largely be reminisced as the 'year of pandemic' that impacted the lives and livelihood of millions people around the world, including several big time and small businesses. Another industry that was worst hit by the pandemic was the education sector that set the lives of scores of students into a topsy-turvy motion.

The case was similar when it came to India, where the normal life cutting across diverse spheres and streams was structurally and emotionally disrupted due to the COVID-pandemic. Despite all, braving all odds several people have emerged stronger and made a mark on their own making their contribution more than visible as the newsmakers in 2020.

Newsmakers 2020

Here are a few people who have emerged as the newsmakers in 2020 and made an impact that students must know and acknowledge.

S Riyasdeen: Designed World’s Lightest Satellite

S Riyasdeen, a 19-year-old second-year engineering student from Sastra University in Tamil Nadu has built the world's lightest satellite weighing just 33 grams, which won him the ‘Cubes in Space' global design competition conducted by NASA.

Claimed as the world's lightest FEMTO satellite, it will be launched by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 2021.

Ranjitsinh Disale: Global Teacher Prize 2020

Ranjitsinh Disale, a primary school teacher (PRT) at Paritewadi in Solapur, Maharashtra, India was awarded the prestigious US $1 million ‘Global Teacher Prize 2020' for his yeomen contribution to the education of girl child and embedding "Quick Response codes (QR codes) in textbooks.

Soyeb Aftab: All India NEET 2020 Topper

Soyeb Aftab from Odisha alongside Akanksha Singh of New Delhi created history by topping the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET 2020) exam by scoring a perfect score of 720 out of 720. With this feat, he becomes the first student in history of NEET exams to do so.

Akanksha Singh: All India NEET Female Topper

Akanksha Singh from Delhi emerged as the NEET 2020 topper among females on a pan-India scale by securing an unprecedented 100% score (720 out of 720) in the NEET 2020 examination alongside Soyeb Aftab who topped the table as per the NEET tie-breaking formula.

Chirag Falor: JEE Advanced Topper 2020

Chirag Falor from IIT Bombay Zone, Pune topped the JEE Advanced 2020 entrance exam with 352 marks out of 396. He also got 100 percentile in the JEE Main 2020 examination and secured all India Rank 12.

Yusuf Hamied: Cambridge University Honors Indian Scientist

The Cambridge University in recognition of Yusuf Hamied's "generous benefaction" will be naming its Chemistry Department after him till 2050.

Yusuf Hamied is an Indian scientist and pharma major Cipla's non-executive chairman, and an alumnus of Cambridge University. He was awarded Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award, in 2005.

Kailasavadivoo Sivan: Von Karman Award recipient

Kailasavadivoo Sivan, the ISRO Chief is named as the Von Karman Award 2020 recipient by the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA). The felicitation ceremony will be held in March 2021 in Paris.

Captain Tania Shergill: Led all-Men contingent on R-Day in 2020

Captain Tania Shergill, a graduate in electronics and communications, become the first woman army officer Parade Adjutant to lead an all-men marching contingent of the Corps of Signals at the Republic Day (R-Day) parade in New Delhi on 26 January 2020. She also led the all-men contingent on Army Day.

Archana Soreng: Selected to UNSG’s Advisory Group

Archana Soreng, climate activist from Odisha, is selected to be a part of the UN Secretary General's Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change.

The climate activist was named by United Nation's Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to his new advisory group comprising young leaders to provide insights and solutions in tackling climate crisis.

Dr K. Kasturirangan: Headed NEP 2020 Drafting Committee

Dr K. Kasturirangan, the former Chariman of ISRO and eminent Indian space scientist is the mind behind India's New Education Policy 2020.

He headed drafting committee on New Education Policy (NEP 2020). In his address to the Ministry of Education he said that NEP 2020 represents an integrated yet flexible approach to education; taking cognizance of the interconnectedness of the various phases of education in mind.