The 1996 award was conferred on Dr. Kamat in recognition of "his commitment to the issues that safeguard

Goa's ecological future from the progressive clouds of rampant urbanization."

Dr. Kamat is a visiting lecturer in Ecology, Environmental Microbiology, and Environmental Economics at the Government of India Safety raining Centre, in Panaji, Goa. He has conducted extensive research in the field of environmental biochemistry and microbiology, and contributed several research papers on measures to safeguard Goa's ecosystem. Aside from contributing research papers on Goa's history and archaeology, he has been instrumental in discovering the paleolithic culture in the foothills of Goa's Western Ghats (Usgoa region), as well as in discovering, mapping and documenting the unique paleolithic petroglyphs (rock carvings) at Kevon-Dhandode-Pirla (South Goa). As an environmentalist, he took several initiatives in protecting Goa's ecology from the hazardous consequences of chemical plants in Goa, and has lectured and written extensively on issues relating to history and archaeology, Youth Welfare, the environment and the sciences.