ISSN 0409-7467 CSIR News NEWSLETTER OF THE COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC & INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH Volume 66 No. 19 & 20 website: http://www.csir.res.in October 2016 In This Issue In The News CSIR’s Platinum Jubilee Function at Vigyan Bhawan 217 In The News • PM Ushers in CSIR’s Platinum Jubilee Function – Applauds PM Ushers in CSIR’s Platinum Jubilee CSIR for Leaving Indelible Mark Function – Applauds CSIR for Leaving Indelible Mark 226 Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize For Science & Technology 231 CSIR Young Scientist Awards 233 CSIR Technology Awards 2016 236 CSIR Award for S&T Innovations for Rural Development (CAIRD) CSIR Diamond Jubilee 238 THE Prime Minister of India Shri CSIR laboratories to the nation Technology Award Narendra Modi ushered in CSIR’s at a function held in Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. G N Ramachandran Gold Platinum Jubilee Celebrations on 240 An exclusive exhibition of Medal For Excellence in 26 September 2016 with a lively major technological contributions Biological Sciences & interaction with farmers from of CSIR was organised for the Technology 2016 five different locations across the country. The Prime Minister, benefit of the PM. The exhibits 240 CSIR Innovation Award who is also the President of showcased some of the most for School Children 2016 the Council of Scientific and stellar achievements of CSIR Industrial Research (CSIR), including the ones that are in dedicated seven new varieties of the pipeline and have great medicinal plants developed by potential of delivery to remove CSIR News OCTOBER 2016 217 CSIR Platinum Jubilee Function Vignettes of the exhibition the drudgery of the common masses, scented Geranium, aromatic grass largely in the areas of healthcare, Citronella, Lemongrass, flowering plant water conservation, solid waste Lily and ornamental flower plant Gerbera management, waste-to-wealth, developed by CSIR labs. These were communication & IT, housing, industrial simultaneously handed over to farmers competitiveness, and contributions to the at five different locations – Hyderabad, strategic sector. Cuddalore, Palampur, Jorhat and Jammu. The Prime Minister then released Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi also new varieties of turmeric, khus, Rose- had a live interaction with the farmers Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi released new varieties of Turmeric, Khus, Rose-scented Geranium, aromatic grass Citronella, Lemongrass, flowering plant Lily and ornamental flower plant Gerbera CSIR News 218 OCTOBER 2016 CSIR Platinum Jubilee Function via video-conferencing where he urged to deep sea explorations, from earth them to strive for taking a quantum jump sciences to energy, food to fragrance, in agriculture with the help of science & glass to genomics, housing to healthcare, technology. He also encouraged them instrumentation to informatics, leather to use modern technology, increase to Light Combat Aircraft, microbes to participation of youth in agriculture, mining to materials, optics to optical concentrate on value addition based fibres, pigments to power electronics, agriculture and explore different markets roads to robotics, sensors to solar energy, for their produce. tractors to transport, UAVs to under Later, addressing a distinguished water vehicles, and water to weather gathering, he said that starting with the forecasting, CSIR has registered its indelible ink, which is the hallmark of presence. our democratic fabric, CSIR has left an Swaraj, the first Tractor of the indelible mark on every sphere of life. country, Baby Milk Powder, the first With an all-round approach to Research supercomputer of the country – these and Development CSIR is a reflection of are just some of the accomplishments India in its diversity and heterogeneity. of CSIR, he said. He appreciated The Prime Minister said that from the exhibition showcasing CSIR’s agriculture to aerospace, bio-sensors achievements and suggested that the to bio-pharmaceuticals, chemicals to exhibition should be taken to other parts climate change, drug development of the country, so that people can know Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in live interaction with farmers via video-conferencing at five locations across the country CSIR News OCTOBER 2016 219 CSIR Platinum Jubilee Function and appreciate CSIR’s contributions. initiatives like ‘Per Drop More Crop’. He The Prime Minister said that he said we should have another objective, looked forward to CSIR making an which should be “an inch of land, and a important contribution to the current bunch of crops.” Government’s mandate of doubling Prime Minister Shri Modi said that the farmers’ income by 2022, the year considering the contributions of CSIR the country celebrates 75 years of its over the last 75 years, the nation has Independence. In his message to the large expectations from CSIR in delivering scientific fraternity across the country, for the nation in a time-bound manner. Shri Modi stressed upon the urgent This could be possible only by synergizing need to find technological solutions to its activities and outcomes with address major problems being faced all important functionaries in the entire by the farmers, not only value chain of taking the technology Prime Minister Shri Modi said that in terms of increasing the to masses, including all the important considering the contributions of CSIR over yield of the produce but stakeholders, the government, industry, the last 75 years, the nation has large also in growing crops in society and the ultimate users. Shri expectations from CSIR in delivering for the the wasteland areas through Modi gave a call to the scientific nation in a time-bound manner. community to personally mentor science students to give shape to their ideas & energy and give India ‘Research Entrepreneurs’ of tomorrow. He said our labs should become a place of attraction for children. The Prime Minister noted that CSIR has contributed significantly in the health sector. However, today when the nation faces the challenge of diseases like TB, Chikungunya, Dengue, etc. CSIR should also focus on development of affordable diagnostics that would help in the prevention of epidemics. He added that development of technologies enabling affordable products is the key to today’s world economy scenario that would not The Hon’ble Prime Minister of India and only cater to the domestic requirements President CSIR, Shri Narendra Modi but also help improve the country’s addressing the gathering exports. The Prime Minister interacting with school children who were present in the audience at Vigyan Bhawan CSIR News 220 OCTOBER 2016 CSIR Platinum Jubilee Function Prime Minister Shri Modi also which has given us successful elections challenged the scientists gathered there in this biggest democracy of the world, to look at solutions to problems that the and even after so many years it is being world was grappling with. For instance, exported to 25 countries of the world, the scientific fraternity could develop a the white revolution of the Amul milk suitable battery for mobile phones that powder for children, the green revolution lasts long and does not burst. He wanted in which CSIR produced the various leather technologists of CSIR’s Chennai- tractors starting from Swaraj to Krishi based leather technology lab to develop Shakti for the small farmers, the types shoes for specific needs of sportspersons of crops and advanced agricultural of different hues. Another thrust area technologies, all these and many more suggested by him was development of technologies have been developed by technology to turn waste into wealth. CSIR scientists. He also urged CSIR to create an ‘Ease Dr. Harsh Vardhan said that of doing Technology Business’ platform he had participated in functions in to bring in the right stakeholders so CIMAP, Lucknow where, 3,000 farmers technologies reach beneficiaries. participated and they were so happy; you Earlier, Union Minister of Science can actually believe their enthusiasm only & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. after seeing them. And then, of course, in Harsh Vardhan while thanking the Prime all the fields whether it is Minister for his valuable support and water, whether it is the guidance, assured him that CSIR would energy sector, whether CSIR was certainly the finest institution definitely deliver to the nation in a time- it is the strategic sector, in the country. That is why today it is the bound manner. He said that this journey in all the fields CSIR has only institution in the whole of India that is of 75 years has been glorious and, after done extremely well. a part of the first 100 best institutions in the world. having seen all the scientists working in Dr. Harsh Vardhan the various labs on his visits to most of the laboratories all over the country and having seen the diverse types of activities in CSIR, he had no doubt that CSIR was certainly the finest institution in the country. That is why today it is the only institution in the whole of India that is a part of the first 100 best institutions in the world. CSIR, with the best minds and infrastructure is striving towards transforming the Brain Drain into a Brain Gain for India, he added. Already 250 scientists have come back to India under various schemes, fellowships and they feel privileged to be actually working in India. Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Hon’ble Minister for S&T and Vice President CSIR addressing the gathering Its contribution in terms of patents, research publications, impact factor or The Minister said that the CSIR and anything that you can take as parameter our scientists, various other arms of our is extremely important and worthwhile. ministry whether Biotechnology or Earth Whether we talk of the indelible ink Science and other departments – they CSIR News OCTOBER 2016 221 CSIR Platinum Jubilee Function have the potential, capability, knowledge, patents. But we realise that these patents experience and the wisdom to solve any should not just remain as impressive problem of the country. “You give them statistics on paper, but should be realised the problem and they will be able to solve for the greater good of the citizens of it,” he said.