The Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences (TAAS) has recently instituted Dr SK Vasal Award for Excellence in Crop Hybrid Research. The award is instituted through an endowment established at TAAS through a contribution by Dr SK Vasal, a world renowned maize breeder and World Food Prize Laureate. The award is to recognize the contributions of eminent scientists (both men and women) who have made outstanding contributions in developing promising hybrids and designing new innovative strategies for hybrid development in crops. The Award will be given annually to an Indian scientist and carries a cash prize of Rupees one lakh, a citation and a plaque.