S President Barack Obama has presented the prestigious National Medal of Technology and Innovation to Indian American Rangaswamy Srinivasan for his work in the field of laser technology.

The award was presented to Srinivasan along with Samuel Blum and James Wynne for the discovery of excimer laser ablative photodecomposition of human and animal tissue. The revolutionary discovery paved the way for PRK and LASIK laser refractive surgical techniques thathave significantly improved vision enhancement.

At an event hosted at the White House, Mr. Obama presented National Medal of Science to a total of 12 scientists and 2011 National Medal of Technology and Innovation award to 10 extraordinary inventors. The National Medal of Technology and Innovation is the highest honors given by the government of the United States to scientists, engineers, and inventors.

“Success depends on the ideas that you can dream up, the possibilities that you envision, and the hard work, the blood, sweat and tears you're willing to put in to make them real,” Obama said while congratulating the winners.

The the National Medal of Technology and Innovation award, which was administered by the US Department of Commerce's Patent and Trademark Office, were established in 1980.