Malu Wa Kalenga obtained his MSc in 1963 from Berkeley, the University of California, in the US; and his PhD in 1969 from Louvain University, in Belgium. He was Professor at the Faculty of Applied Sciences at the University of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In his country, he covered many prestigious positions, including General Commissioner of Atomic Energy, Director of the "Service présidentiel d'études", and President of the National Science Council. International positions included: Member of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna; President of IAEA General Conference, and Board Member of the United Nations University, in Tokyo. He received many awards including: the Silver Medal of the Civic Merit Africa, and Gold Medal for Scientific Achievement, also from Africa; Chevalier de la Ordre de la Francophonie et du dialogue des cultures; Commandeur of the Ordre national du Léopard, DRC; and an award from the Global Energy Society for Eradication of Poverty and Hunger, in the US. He was one of the founding members of the then-Third World Academy of Science (TWAS), based in Trieste, Italy.

Rao is Linus Pauling research professor and Hon. president, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research. After obtaining his PhD at Purdue U. and completing postdoctoral work at UC Berkeley, he returned to India in 1959 and has since worked in various capacities at the Ind. Inst. of Science and other institutions. His honours include: 77 honorary causa doctorates; Hughes and Royal Medals of the Royal Society, London; Einstein Gold Medal, UNESCO; India Science Prize; Dan David Prize; Ernesto Illy Trieste Science Prize; dist. research professor, U. of Cambridge; laureate, Khwarizmi Intl. Award, Iran; Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, by Emperor of Japan, Order of Friendship of Russia, Chevalier De La Legion D'Honneur of France. He was conferred the highest award for materials research, the von Hippel award by the Materials Society in 2017. He is a member of 27 science academies including the Royal Society, US National Academy of Sciences, and Pontifical, Australian, Canadian, Russian, Brazilian, French and Japan academies. He is the recipient of the highest civilian honour of India, Bharat Ratna (Jewel of India).

Swaminathan is a renowned agriculture scientist. Considered the scientific leader of the Green Revolution, his approach is at the heart of sustainable agriculture. His awards include: World Food Prize; A. Einstein World Science Award; Honda Award; Ramon Magsaysay Award; Tyler Prize; Franklin D Roosevelt Four Freedoms Award; UNESCO Gandhi Prize; Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development. He chaired the Intl. Comm. on Peace and Food; is UNESCO chair in ecotechnology; was pres., Pugwash Conf. on Science and World Affairs, chairman, Natl. Comm. on Farmers of India. He is currently Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha); chairman, MS Swaminathan Research Foundn., Chennai, India; and hon. chair for sustainable development, Indira Gandhi Natl. Open U., New Delhi. He is Fellow, Indian Natl. Science Acad.; Royal Soc. of London; US Natl. Acad. of Sciences; Russian Acad. of Sciences.