New Delhi, : Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that successive success stories in recent times have elevated India’s science esteem.
Addressing the gathering at the 40th foundation day celebration of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), the Minister enumerated recent science success stories of India. He said that the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) and CSIR brought about the purple revolution, which originated in the North and has now captured the entire Himalayan region.
The Department of Biotechnology came out with the first DNA Vaccine and a country like India , which was earlier struggling to provide curative health care, has now become a preventive healthcare leader, he said.
The Department of Space registered triple success…Chandrayaan 3, Aditya Mission and XPoSat, said the Minister.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, these success stories have made scientific research, innovation and StartUps popular like never before. Pointing out that all these successes are closely connected to Industry linkage, the Minister urged the scientific community to work towards a strong industry linkage to bring the outcomes of Research & Development to society. It will also make StartUps in the S & T field commercially more viable, he added.
Earlier, as Chief Guest, the Minister kickstarted the 40th Foundation Day Celebration of DSIR by lighting a lamp. Minister also congratulated the gathering of scientists on the momentous occasion. Dr. Vijay Kumar Saraswat, Member(S&T), NITI Aayog and Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, PSA to the Government of India were Guests of Honour at the event.
Addressing the gathering Prof Sood said that when the focus is shifting increasingly towards Technology, DSIR will have a greater role to play in the days to come. Sh. Saraswat in his address urged DSIR and NRDC to create value addition centres to promote translational research in the country. Dr. N Kalaiselvi, Secretary DSIR and DG CSIR, Shri Surinder Pal Singh, Joint Secretary, DSIR also spoke at the event.
The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), under the aegis of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India was set up through a Presidential Notification, dated 4th January, 1985. DSIR has a mandate to carry out the activities related to indigenous technology promotion, development, utilization and transfer with a mission to invigorate industrial research in the country and to create an enabling environment for development and utilization of new innovations and enhance innovations through its resources and channelize benefits thereof, to the people.
DSIR is also the nodal department for granting recognition/ registration to the In-house R&D centres established by industry in the country, Scientific Research Foundations in the areas of medical, agriculture, natural and applied sciences and social sciences (SIROs) and Public Funded Research Institutions (PFRI), Universities, IITs, IISc and NITs. There are about 2400 In-house R&D centres, 878 SIROS and 543 PFRIs with DSIR recognition.
DSIR also undertakes programmes to promote R&D by the industries and to support the industrial units developing state-of-the-art globally competitive technologies of high commercial value. The department operates four sub-schemes, viz PRISM, PACE, CRTDH and A2K+ under its umbrella scheme “Industrial Research & Development” (IRD).
