Dr. Renu Swarup, the Awardee is the former Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India. She was also holding, for some time, the charge of Secretary, Department of Science and Technology. Dr. Swarup was the founding Managing Director and the Chairperson, BIRAC (Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council). It is a public sector entity set up to foster and nurture Startups and Entrepreneurship in Biotech sector. It supports over five thousand startups and nearly one thousand industrial units. It has helped more than 300 novel technologies and products being developed.

Dr. Renu Swarup has a Ph.D. in Forest Genetics and Plant Biotechnology under CSIR Fellowship. She completed Post-doctorate under Commonwealth Scholarship in Applied Biology at John Innes Centre, Norwich, England and joined the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India in 1989. She retired on 31st October 2021. Post retirement, she is a Member of the Executive Board of the International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance - a Centre of the Danish Health Ministry. She is also a Member of the National Start Up Advisory Council set up by the DPIIT (Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade), Government of India.

Dr. Renu Swarup was responsible for the Women and Science Programme under which more than 500 women scientists have been given re-entry research grants. She is currently a Member of Third Academy for Women in Science in the developing world. In the fight against Covid, she was responsible for S & T solutions. She had developed Mission Covid Suraksha, which delivered world's first DNA vaccine, indigenous mRNA vaccine, first protein based indigenous vaccine and first nasal vaccine.

Dr. Renu Swarup was also responsible for first Human Genome Cataloguing Initiative. She was involved in international partnerships such as, partnership with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust, UK; Indo-US Sister Innovation hub and partnership with UK, Finland and Sweden.

Given her distinguished career, Dr. Renu Swarup has been the recipient of several awards and honours. She was conferred life time Biotech Policymaker 2021 Award, National Entrepreneurship Award 2017, Biospectrum Person of the Year Award 2012, to name a few. She is a Fellow of National Academy of Science, India; Life member of the Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Science, Member of the Genetical Society, UK; and Life Member of Indian Science Congress Association.

With her significant and dedicated work in the field of Biotechnology and modern sciences, she has made outstanding contribution to the social and economic development of the nation. The Yashwantrao Chavan Pratishthan, Mumbai is pleased to honour her services to the nation by conferring on her the Yashwantrao Chavan National Award 2021.