CU Punjab’s Prof. Raj Kumar Receives Visitor’s Award from President of India

Bathinda, March 4, 2025: The Central University of Punjab (CU Punjab) has added another feather to its cap in academic and research excellence as Prof. Raj Kumar, from the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, has been honored with the Visitor’s Award 2023 for Research in Biological Sciences. The prestigious award was conferred by President of India, Droupadi Murmu, during the Visitor’s Conference 2024-25, held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.

Initiated in 2014, the Visitor’s Awards recognize excellence in research and innovation among faculty members of Central Universities, promoting global best practices in scientific advancement. This year, Prof. Raj Kumar was recognized for his pioneering research in cancer biology, particularly his contributions to understanding cancer hallmarks, drug design and synthesis, drug resistance, and the development of synthetic anticancer lead molecules.

The award ceremony, held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, was graced by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and heads of Central Institutes of Higher Education, including CU Punjab Vice-Chancellor Prof. Raghavendra P. Tiwari. The Visitor’s Award for Research in Biological Sciences was jointly presented to Prof. Rina Chakrabarti from the University of Delhi, for her research in Sustainable Freshwater Aquaculture, and Prof. Raj Kumar from CU Punjab, for his pioneering work in cancer research and drug development. This award includes a citation and a cash prize of Rs 125000/-.

Prof. Raj Kumar’s research focuses on tackling one of the most pressing challenges in cancer treatment—drug resistance. His team has made significant advancements in developing non-covalent and reversible EGFR inhibitors, which target growth factor receptors and the tumor microenvironment. Additionally, his research includes computer aided drug design and innovative drug delivery mechanisms using redox-cycler doxorubicin (DOX) and natural anti-cancer agents. Recently, his team has expanded its work into developing protein degraders (PROTACs), which specifically target EGFR and CTKs, known to be overexpressed in lung and breast cancer.

Expressing his gratitude, Prof. Raj Kumar thanked Vice-Chancellor Prof. Tiwari, university administration and faculty colleagues for their support and encouragement. He also acknowledged the contributions of his students and research scholars in conducting quality research.

On this momentous occasion, CU Punjab Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Raghavendra P. Tiwari, congratulated Prof. Raj Kumar for bringing laurels to the university. He stated, "Prof. Raj Kumar’s achievement is a testament to CU Punjab’s commitment to fostering world-class research. His work in cancer therapeutics is highly commendable and will inspire faculty, researchers, and students to push the boundaries of innovation in biomedical sciences."

With this remarkable accomplishment, Prof. Raj Kumar has further strengthened CU Punjab’s reputation as a leading centre for cutting-edge scientific research and innovation in India.