Jai Pal Mittal, after obtaining his MSc degree (1959) from the Agra University joined the Atomic Energy Research Centre's Training School and rose to be the Director, Chemistry and Isotope Group of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai. He obtained his PhD (1967) from the Radiation Laboratory, University of Notre Dame and later underwent post-doctoral training at the University of California, Los Angeles with WF Libby. Mittal was the DAE Raja Ramanna Fellow, BARC, Mumbai, Distinguished Professor, IIT, Bombay; and Honorary Distinguished Professor, University of Pune

Academic and Research Achievements: On returning to India, Dr Mittal initiated a school of modern Radiation Chemistry and Photochemistry research in India. He was responsible for setting up a nanosecond LINAC based pulse radiolysis system at BARC and setting up the nano, pico and femtosecond pump and probe techniques to study the chemical dynamics. His group initiated the infrared laser-induced Isotope Selective Photochemistry Research at BARC and succeeded in isotopic enrichment of the isotopes of hydrogen, carbon, uranium, etc. He has published about 300 research papers in peer-reviewed journals. Dr Mittal has mentored a large number of student including 35 PhDs.

Other Contributions: Mittal served on various research funding agencies of DAE, DST, UGC, etc. For years he guided the Basic Sciences Committees of Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences as its Chairman. After serving as the President of the Indian Society of Radiation & Photochem Sciences (1997-2001), he was elected as the President of the Asian Photochemistry Association (2003- 2008). He served the INSA Council as Member (1998-2000) and as Additional Member (2005-06).

Awards and Honours: Dr Mittal is a recipient of Humboldt Research Award (2002), Senior JSPS Award, TR Seshadri 70th Birthday Commemoration Medal of INSA (1994), Golden Jubilee Commemoration Medal of INSA (2001), NR Dhar Memorial Medal of NASI, Goyal Gold Medal, Platinum Jubilee Award of ISCA, and Padma Shri (2003). He was President of the Indian Chemical Society (1998-99), and National Academy of Sciences (India), Allahabad (2003-04). He is Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore and the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World, Trieste (2000).