The President of India has approved conferment of the Padma Shri award to the founder Director of IISER Thiruvananthapuram Prof. E. D. Jemmis. Professor Jemmis served as the director of the institute during its initial years from 2008 to 2013. The award will be conferred by the President of India at a function to be held at Rashtrapati Bhawan later this year according to the official press release