The Merck Young Scientist Award is to celebrate the scientific triumphs of young scientists working within India. This award is a step toward the objective of tackling the most difficult challenges in life sciences by engaging with the scientific community in search of curious minds inspired by a desire to make a difference in the lives of millions of people throughout India. Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Research Scientist, has been awarded Merck Young Scientist Award, Runner-up for 2021 in recognition of his scientific achievement in the category of COVID Research. His work on the isolation and characterization of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 was appreciated by jury panel for its originality, scalability, innovation, and implications to human life. He has been awarded a cash prize of INR 1,00,000 along with a trophy and a certificate.