Posthumous centenary award for mining engineer Jaswant Singh Gill

Recognising the inspiring efforts and contributions of the late Jaswant Singh Gill, popularly known as Capsule Gill, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad has announced that it will confer upon him the Special Centenary Award 2026 (posthumous).

Making the announcement, IIT Dhanbad stated that the institute has a long-standing tradition of honouring distinguished alumni and eminent personalities from industry, academia, and research for their exemplary contributions during its prestigious alumni reunion, BASANT. The upcoming edition of BASANT holds special significance as it coincides with the Centenary Year of the institute. The Centenary BASANT celebrations are scheduled to be held from February 6 to 8 at the IIT (ISM) Dhanbad campus.

To mark this historic milestone, the institute has introduced a special award category titled the “Special Centenary Award”, applicable only for the Centenary Year 2026. Jaswant Singh Gill’s son, Dr SS Gill, said that his father was selected for the honour in recognition of his exceptional, sustained and impactful contributions to the institute and the nation, which merit special recognition during this landmark year.

Jaswant Singh Gill etched his name in history following his daring rescue operation of 65 trapped coal miners at Raniganj in 1989 by designing a specialised rescue ‘capsule’. For his bravery and innovation, he received several honours, including the Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak from the President of India in 1991.

Gill was an alumnus of IIT-ISM Dhanbad, where he studied Mining Engineering. The institute also announced the establishment of the “Jaswant Singh Gill Memorial Industrial Safety Excellence Award” to recognise individuals or teams for developing innovative technologies or processes that enhance workplace safety.