Sharma was educated at the Universities of Rajputana (Jodhpur), Mumbai, and Cambridge. He obtained his BSc in chemical engineering (1958), MSc (tech.) by research (1960) and PhD (Cantab) in 1964. He is honorary Kothary research professor, JNCAR, and professor of eminence, Inst, of Chemical Technology, Mumbai. He was previously: professor (1964-97) and director (1989-97), Dept. of Chemical Technology, Univ. of Mumbai. His awards include: Om Prakash Bhasin; Padma Vibushan; FICCI Award in Science and Technology; JC Bose Memorial Lecture, Royal Society, London; Shatabdi Puraskar, Indian Science Congress. He is a fellow, Indian Academy of Sciences; INSA; Maharashtra Academy of Science; Royal Society, London; and hon. fellow, Natl. Academy of Sciences; foreign assoc., US Natl. Academy of Engineering; intl. fellow, Royal Academy of Engineering.

Agrawal is Professor in Computer Science department at IIT Kanpur. He obtained his PhD in 1991 from the same department, spent a few years in Chennai Mathematical Institute before joining IIT Kanpur in 1996. His awards include Clay Prize, Godel Prize, Fulkerson Prize, Bhatnagar Prize, TWAS Prize, ICTP Prize, Infosys Prize, and Humboldt Award. He is a member of all three science academies and engineering academy in India as well as Foreign Associate of US National Academy of Sciences.

Khan (PhD 1980, Indian Agric. Res. Inst.) is principal scientist and leader of the widely-reputed push-pull programme at the Intl. Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) in Kenya. He is Thomas Odhiambo Dist. Res. Fellow of icipe. He is a fellow of the African Acad. of Sciences, the Entomological Soc. of America and the Honorary Fellow of the Royal Entomological Soc., UK. He is an adjunct prof. of entomology at Cornell U., USA, and extraordinary prof. at the North-West U. in South Africa. Khan is a council member of the Intl. Congress of Entomology. In 2010 he received the Nan-Yao Su Award for Innovation and Creativity in Entomology and the ESA Distinguished Scientist Award, and in 2011, the TWAS Prize in Agricultural Sciences and in 2015 Louis Malassis International Prize for Outstanding Career in Agriculture for his contribution in the field of agriculture and food

Sinha was educated at Presidency College, Kolkata, and the U. of Delhi. He obtained his PhD at the U. of Rochester. He is a SERB-Distinguished Fellow and Honorary Professor, JNCASR; Distinguished Associate, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. His previous positions include: Bhatnagar fellow,CSIR; distinguished scientist and Director, Indian Statistical Institute; visiting professorships at the Universities of Texas at Austin, Tennessee at Knoxville, Geneva, Switzerland, and RIMS, Kyoto. His honours include: CV Raman Medal; Ulam chair professor, Univ. of Colorado, Boulder; SS Bhatnagar Prize; Ganesh Prasad Memorial Award, Indian Mathematical Society; and PC Mahalanobis Medal, Indian Science Congress. He is a fellow of the Indian Natl. Science Academy and Indian Academy of Sciences, and life member of the Indian Mathematical Society and Intl. Assoc. of Mathematical Physicists.

Singh is professor emeritus, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, and INSA senior scientist at Banaras Hindu University. After obtaining his PhD at Banaras Hindu University in 1967 and completing postdoctoral work at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, he has worked in various capacities at Kurukshetra University, Kumaun University, Colorado State University and Banaras Hindu University. His honours include: SS Bhatnagar award; Swami Pranavanand Saraswati award; Pitamber Pant Fellowship; Dr. Birbal Sahni Gold Medal; and Professor SB Saksena Memorial Medal. He is a fellow of the Indian National Science Academy, the Indian Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences, India, and the International Society for Tropical Ecology. He is a member of the Council, International Association for Vegetation Science, Sweden.

Dr. R.A. Mashelkar, National Research Professor, served as the Director General of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), with thirty eight laboratories and about 20,000 employees (1995-2006). He was also the President of Indian National Science Academy (2004-2006), President of UK Institution of Chemical Engineers (2007) as also the President of Global Research Alliance. 42 universities from around the world have honored him with honorary doctorates, which include Universities of London, Salford, Pretoria, Wisconsin, Swinburne, Monash and Delhi. Dr. Mashelkar is only the third Indian engineer to have been elected (1998) as Fellow of Royal Society (FRS), London in the twentieth century. He was elected Foreign Associate of US National Academy of Science (2005) and also National Academy of Engineering (2003), Associate Foreign Member, American Academy of Arts & Sciences (2011), Fellow of Royal Academy of Engineering, U.K. (1996), Foreign Fellow of Australian Technological Science and Engineering Academy (2008), Corresponding Member of Australian Academy of Sciences (2017), Fellow of World Academy of Arts & Science, USA (2000), Fellow of US National Academy.

Kulkarni is a distinguished scientist (Engg. Sci.) of CSIR at the National Chemical Laboratory, Pune. He has made significant contributions to the development and application of mathematical modelling to chemical reaction engineering systems. His contributions include macro-, meso- and microscopic models and AI based formalisms. His work has significant industrial implications. His findings have led to improved advanced manufacturing technologies in terms of on-line process identification, monitoring, control, and other aspects. His awards include: Medal for Young Scientist, INSA; Amar Dye Chem Award; Herdillia Award; SS Bhatnagar Award, CSIR; Chem-Tech CEW Award; and the FICCI Award. He is a member of the Indian National Science Academy, Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore, and the Indian National Academy of Engineering.

Jairajpuri is retired professor of zoology and Indian Natl. Science Acad. (INSA) senior scientist, Aligarh Muslim U., India. His work in the taxonomy and systematics of free-living and plant parasitic nematode is acknowledged internationally and his books on the Dorylaimida and Mononchida etc., are valuable tools for the identification of these difficult groups of free living, plant parasitic and predaceous nematodes. His awards include: Gold Medal, Zoological Soc. of India, 1978 and 1998; Janaki Ammal Natl. Award on Taxonomy, Min. Env. For., India, 1999; Har Swarup Memorial Award, Jawaharlal Nehru Vis. Fellowship, INSA; Lifetime Achievement Award, Ind. Soc. Parasit., 2007. He is fellow of: Natl. Acad. of Sciences, India, Allahabad, 1990; INSA, New Delhi, 1992; Indian Acad. of Sciences, Bangalore, 1993; Natl. Acad. of Agric. Sciences, New Delhi, 1993; and hon. fellow, Nem Soc India, 2006.