The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) announced its 2009 awards granting at a World Science Forum in Budapest, Hungary on November 5.

The Kalinga award was presented to two scientists: Overseas Vietnamese Trinh Xuan Thuan and Indian professor Yash Pal.

Professor Trinh Xuan Thuan won the award for discovering the youngest planet in the galaxy in 2004 and writing more than 200 papers and several books on astronomy, including a book on the Big Bang.

Yash Pal has recorded a number of TV shows to inform the public of the importance of scientific issues and helped to set up the Astronomy and Physics Centre in Pune and the Educational Information Centre in Ahmedabad both in India.

UNESCO’s awards honour the efforts made by individuals and organizations to promote scientific development.