Dr. Dipti M. Kapoor, Science Policy Advisor, PeTA-India, has left us untimely, and a big void in the alternatives scenario in India has been created. In order to recognize the enormous contribution of Dr. Dipti M. Kapoor, who was also one of the Founding Members of the Society for Alternative to Animal Experiments – India (SAAE-I), and her lasting impact on the animal alternatives movement in India, the Society felt obliged to remember her by instituting an Endowment in her memory. The Society, in consultation with the family members of Dr. Dipti and the PeTA – India, invited contribution for the Endowment.  A major contribution was received from PeTA – India. SAAE-I members, friends and well-wishers of Dr. Dipti made generous contribution, the total of which as of now, amounts to Rs. 1,00,000/- (Rupees one lakh).

1. The Endowment Fund will be deposited in a separate bank account and the proceeds will be used to partly support a young researcher with an ‘early career travel grant’.
2. The name of award will be ‘Dr. Dipti M. Kapoor Endowment Award’.
3. The award will be open to citizens of India aged 45 years or below (as on December 31 of the year).
4. The award is for an early-career researcher active in the field of alternatives/animal-free research and testing methods or a person working for policy/regulatory/social reforms to replace/reduce animal testing with non-animal methods.
5. The award will consist of a cash prize of Rs. 5000/- (Rupees five thousand only), as of now, in the form of a cheque conferred on the Awardee at the Annual Conference of the SAAE-India. The Organizers of the Conference will participate in the gesture by not collecting any Registration Fee form the Awardee and also meeting out the travel cost by train (AC-II class) and providing cost-free accommodation to the Awardee.
6. The Awardee will be encouraged to make a presentation or address the delegates in the Award Session. The Award Session shall preferably be organized on the first day in or immediately after the inaugural session.
7. The application/nomination for the award will be invited through the web site of SAEE-I/PeTA – India at least six months before the SAEE-India annual conference.
8. A jury of three Members (One SAAE-I nominee, one PeTA nominee and one independent expert; the SAAE-I nominee and the expert will be recommend by the EC of SAAE-I) shall select the Awardee.
9. The selected person will be intimated at least two months before the conference.
10. The first award will commence in the year 2022.
11. It was resolved that efforts should be made by SAAE-India and PeTA to increase the corpus.
12. The Committee Members thanked the General Secretary-SAAE.I, PeTA-India and all the other contributors for their effort/support.

General Secretary