Dr B S Bajaj Memorial FABA Excellence Award-2023 has been conferred upon to Dr Renu Swarup, former Secretary, Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India for her outstanding contribution in promoting science and technology in the country. 

Federation of Asian Biotech Associations (FABA) is a non-profit society, which represents 20 Asian countries with a common interest in promoting human health through advances in biotechnology.

The award was conferred during the Hyderabad Life Sciences innovation cluster meeting on 23rd February 2023 at the Indian council of medical research - National Animal Resource Facility for Biomedical Research (ICMR-NARFBR) situated in Genome valley, Hyderabad. 

Dr Renu Swarup has been instrumental in the planning and implementation of national programmes and actively engaged in the formulation of National Biotechnology Vision & Strategy. She served as a member of the Task Force on Women in Science by the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Prime Minister.

As the Secretary of DBT, she led a Network of 16 Autonomous Research Institutes, 2 Public Sector Undertakings, and R&D Network of more than 5000 projects across 100 research institutes, Universities & Laboratories. During the pandemic, she led the COVID-19 Vaccine, Diagnostic & Genome sequencing Mission. She was the founding Managing Director and Chairperson of the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), and has supported more than 5000 startups and 60 incubators.