LONDON, June 14: Indian-origin physicist, Professor Tejinder Virdee, best known for his work on the Large Hadron Collider, was accorded an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II for his contribution to the field of science.
Virdee of Imperial College London was named a Knight Bachelor for his services to science in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List, released here yesterday evening.
His citation reads: “Professor Virdee is one of the UK’s most distinguished physicists and, as one of the creators of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) Experiment he has made outstanding contributions to science.
The CMS experiment, at the Large Hadron Collider, CERN, Geneva, has delivered seminal results in particle physics, including the groundbreaking discovery of the Higgs Boson, or the God particle, a particle that gives mass to other particles.
“Beyond his innovative work in particle physics, he is also a great campaigner for science, and promoter of science and education in Africa and India.”
Besides, Hollywood actor and UN special envoy Angelina Jolie was named an honorary dame – the female version of a knight — by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II for her work combating sexual violence in war zones.
The 39-year-old Oscar winner, who has spent much of this week co-chairing a London summit on war rape with foreign secretary William Hague, was one of hundreds of people recognised in the Queen’s annual Birthday Honors List for services to their community. (PTI)
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