National Society for Earthquake Technology (NSET), Nepal has been awarded with this year's 'Tech Museum award' under the `Microsoft Education Award' category for its low-tech innovation called 'Shake Table' to reduce hazards from earthquake.

Executive director of NSET, Amod Mani Dixit received the award amidst a ceremony organised at San Jose, Silicon Valley, California on Thursday. "Selection as the Laureate of Tech Museum Award is a witness of the success of the efforts of NSET in implementing earthquake risk reduction initiatives in Nepal, and recognition of our efforts in bringing in the fruits of science and technology to the doorsteps of the common man so that he/she could use it for reducing the ever-increasing vulnerabilities to natural hazards," said Dixit, upon receiving the award. "He said it was a moment for pride for NSET as well as Nepal."

National Society for Earthquake Technology - Nepal (NSET) has been selected as a Laureate for the Tech Museum Awards 2004. The Tech Museum Awards honor innovators and visionaries from around the world who are applying technology to profoundly improve the human condition in the categories of education, equality, environment, health, and economic development.

"The Tech Awards laureates are pioneering appropriate technology solutions to aid so many people, but it's the ease with which their innovations can be scaled and replicated elsewhere that will continue to truly make this world a better place," said Tech Museum President and CEO Peter Giles.

This year, more than 580 nominations were received, representing 80 countries. NSET was selected for "Best of the Best" category for technology innovation. Inaugurated in 2001, judges for the five categories of the Tech Museum Award are recruited from research institutions, industry and the public sector around the world.

The 'Shake Table' technology has already been demonstrated in Iran, India, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Japan over the last six years. The technology will now be demonstrated at the Tech Museum in the USA, the statement said.