Press Release

The 6th India-UK Science &Innovation Council (SIC) Meeting was held in New Delhi on 26th July 2018

The 6th India-UK Science &Innovation Council (SIC) Meeting was held in New Delhi on 26th July 2018.  Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Minister of Science & Technology, Earth Sciences & Environment, Forests and Climate Change, India and Mr. Sam Gyimah, Minister for Universities,Science, Research and Innovation, UK led the Indian and UK delegations respectively.

The Two Ministers reviewed bilateral S&T cooperation between the two countries since last SIC meeting atLondon in June 2016. Both Ministers pleased to note the success of the Newton Bhabha partnership through which India and UK are jointly delivering cutting edge science and Technology solutions to societal challenges. The Ministers also welcomed the suggestion of setting up a Newton-Bhabha award to recognize the impacts delivered through this joint partnership.

Ministers agreed to work together on the UK India tech partnership announced by Prime Ministers Modi and May during PM’s Modi’s visit to the UK in April. Both Minister welcomed the India UK FutureTech Festival scheduled for Delhi this year.

The Ministers noted the growing role that the two countries could play in delivering research and technology for global benefit. The potential for increased collaboration in the area of ocean research was welcomed, reflecting the commitments made at the recent Commonwealth Summit in London.

Both Ministers announced new programmes Newton Advanced Fellowship’ which is aimed to strengthen research excellence by supporting promising independent (early to mid-career) researchers within 15 years of their PhD, and their research groups based in India by linking them to the best researchers in the UK. The SERB partnership with The Royal Society will support two rounds of 6 awards per cohort.

Industry Academia Partnership Programme was also announced under the Newton Bhabha Fund. This initiative looks to harness links and spur networks to industry and UK expertise amongst Tier 2 and 3 engineering universities in India to build capability and improve their teaching, research and innovation outcomes.

Date:
Friday, July 27, 2018
Four joint Industrial R&D projects were today awarded under the US$40 million Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund (I4F)

A total of four joint Industrial R&D projects were today awarded under the US$40 million Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund (I4F) at the I4F Conclave jointly organized by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Israel Innovation Authority (IIA), Global Innovation and Technology Alliance (GITA) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) earlier today. The awards were given by Prof. Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, Department of Science & Technology (DST),Government of India and Dr. Amiram Appelbaum, Chief Scientist, Ministry of Economy & Industry and Chairman, Israel Innovation Authority, Government of Israel.

This US$40 mn Fund is one of the outcome of the historic,first-ever visit in July 2017 of Hon’ble Prime MinisterNarendra Modi to Israel.  The Call for Proposals under which the awards were made was launched in January 2018 in New Delhi by the Prime Ministers of the two countries. The Department of Science & Technology (DST) and the Israel Innovation Authority are the respective funding agencies. It is envisaged to fund six projects a year.

The projects awarded covered all the five eligible areas of Agriculture, Energy, Healthcare, Information &Communication Technology (ICT) and Water. A brief summary of the awarded projects is given below:

a) Energy Efficiency in Agricultural Pumping with Smart Groundwater Management through Monitoring & Targeting Aquifers : The project entails development of an innovative solution to achieve energy and water efficiency in villages through integration of (i) Improved Groundwater Level (IGWL) technology, (ii) Energy – water nexus technology to measure pump efficiency and water parameter through energy signature, (iii) IOT platform with smart controllers for irrigation in agriculture. Project awarded to : Energy Efficiency Services Limited., (India) and Bacsoft (Israel).

b) Development of Cellular Interface Mitigation Solution for the Indian Market, based on UBiFiX Solution: The project entails development of electronic systems for the cellular market which will help in cancelling interferences in cellular networks, and specifically in 4G networks, and thereby improving network quality. Project awarded to Frog Cellsat Limited, (India) and UbiqamLimited, (Israel)

c) Autonomous Water Pump for Irrigation, Utilizing Solar Energy: The project focuses on development of a cost effective, more efficient positive displacement Solar Pumping System, suitable for any type of well. The project is envisaged to increase farming levels, enhance yield and decrease operational and maintenance costs. Project awarded to VyodaPrivate Ltd., (India) and Agrosolar Irrigation Systems Ltd., (Israel).

d) Development and Clinical Evaluation of Affordable Surgical Device based on MIMS Technology for Treating of Glaucoma in India: The project involves development of affordable, standalone MIMS device and its integration with Phaco machine enabling ophthalmologists to treat glaucoma in one sitting with cataract, at lower cost and with lesser skill.Project awarded to Appasamy Ocular Devices (P) Ltd (India) and Sanoculis Ltd (Israel).

The 2nd Call for Proposals was also announced today, to commence in August with a deadline of November 2018. The areas of focus will remain Agriculture, Energy, Healthcare, Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) and Water.

On the occasion of the project awarding, Prof Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, Department of Science & Technology and the India Co-Chair, I4F Governing Board expressed his delight to be able to recognise four companies for awarding in the inaugural call itself. He stated that the I4F platform will enable the Governments of India and Israel to play a catalytic role for joint industry-led, last mile research and development (R&D) resulting in commercialization.  This, he said, would take the industrial R&D and technological innovation partnership between India and Israel to a new level and indeed be a role model for others.

Dr Amiram Appelbaum, Chief Scientist, Ministry of Economy & Industry, Chairman, Israel Innovation Authority and the Israel Co-Chair, I4F Govering Board expressed his tremendous pleasure that the strategic relationship launched in July 2017 had, within one year, witnessed a very significant milestone with the decision to award four projects covering all five focus areas of the CFP. He stated that Israel   and  India had indeed embarked on a truly historic partnership.H.E. Mr Daniel Carmon, Ambassador of Israel to India said, “The Fund is a unique platform designed to increase economic cooperation and boost research and development within both countries. India is quickly becoming a valued partner to Israel and the Fund can play an effective role in taking the best out of Israeli and Indian entrepreneurs, make them work together and develop a solution that would fit and benefit both sides.”

New Delhi

About the I4F Funding and Implementing Agencies:

Department of Science & Technology (DST)

The Department of Science & Technology (DST) was established in May 1971, with the objective of promoting new areas of Science & Technology and to play the role of a nodal department for organising, coordinating and promoting S&T activities in the country. The Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India has an important role in building a strong base for Research, Development and Demonstration in India and in addressing national concerns about strengthening science and technology. DST, as a national agency for strengthening the base of Science and Technology in the country has made sincere attempt to address national concerns of India in basic research.

For more information about DST, please visit Download The file ( bytes) in Icon

Global Innovation & Technology Alliance (GITA)

Global Innovation & Technology Alliance (GITA) is a “non–for–profit” Section-8 (Companies Act 2013) Public Private Partnership (PPP) company promoted jointly by the Technology Development Board (TDB), Department of Science& Technology (DST), Government of India (GOI) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

GITA is an Innovative platform of Government of India and Indian Industry / R&D Institutions to encourage industrial investments in Innovative Technology Solutions through Mapping technology gaps, Evaluating technologies available across the Globe, Forging techno–strategic collaborative partnerships appropriate for Indian economy. GITA connects industrial and institutional partners for effective Matchmaking and collaborative industrial R&D projects, providing Funding for Technology Development / Acquisition / Customization / Deployment.

For more information about GITA, please visit www.gita.org.in

Israel Innovation Authority (IIA)

The Israel Innovation Authority, responsible for the country’s innovation policy, is an independent and impartial public entity that operates for the benefit of the Israeli innovation ecosystem and Israeli economy as a whole. Its role is to nurture and develop Israeli innovation resources, while creating and strengthening the infrastructure and framework needed to support the entire knowledge industry.The Israel Innovation Authority provides a variety of practical tools and funding platforms aimed at addressing the dynamic and changing needs of the local and international innovation ecosystems.

For more information about Israel Innovation Authority, please visit https://innovationisrael.org.il/

Date:
Thursday, July 26, 2018
The 4th India-Korea Science & Technology Ministers Steering Committee Meeting was held in New Delhi on 9th July 2018

The 4th India-Korea Science & Technology Ministers Steering Committee Meeting was held in New Delhi on 9th July 2018.  Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Science of the Republic of India and Mr. You YoungMin, Minister for Science and ICT of the Republic of Korea led the Indian and Korean delegations respectively.

The Two Ministers reviewed bilateral S&T cooperation between the two countries since last meeting of Steering Committee at Seoul in November 2015. Both Ministers agreed to establish Indo-Korean Center for Research and Innovation (IKCRI) in India, which will act as the hub for systematic operation and management of all cooperative programmes in research and innovation between the two countries including innovation & entrepreneurship and technology transfer.

Ministers agreed to establish a Future Strategic Group, which will build a collaborative platform that can utilize the potential of our two countries towards fostering innovation and create impact which is of social and economic good. To begin with both sides will be co-funding collaborative enterprise led joint R&D projects covering (i) Digital Transformation (ii) Future Manufacturing (iii) Future Utilities and (iv) Health Care.

It was agreed to jointly establish two additional India-Korea Joint Network Centres in areas among ‘Cyber Physical System- Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things focused on agriculture, energy, water and transportation and ‘Semiconductor Electronics’ etc..  These centres will leverage existing infrastructure and funding available from the partners on both sides in focused applied research areas which has potential towards technology development.  The two sides agreed to select future joint projects.

To augment the cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation, both countries renewed Programme of Cooperation in the Fields of Science and Technology for 2018-21.

During the S&T Ministerial Steering Committee meeting, new thematic MoUs on Biotechnology & Bioeconomy between Department of Biotechnology, Govt of India - Ministry of Science & ICT of Republic of Korea; CSIR India - National Research Council of Science & Technology, Korea and IIT Bombay – Korean Institute of Science & Technology, which will further accelerate future-oriented cooperation in their respective sectors.

 

Date:
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Swacchta Pakhwada(1st May - 15th May 2018)
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Swacchta Pakhwada(1st May - 15th May 2018)

Date:
Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Closing Ceremony of Centenary Celebrations of Bose Institute, Kolkata Bose Institute Main Campus, Kolkata, November 29, 2017, 10:00 am

Bose Institute, Kolkata, founded on 30 November 1917, entered its Centenary year on 30 November 2016. Driven by the nationalist spirit pervading the country at that time, this premier research institute of the country was founded by Acharya Jagadis Chandra Bose, one of the greatest scientists of all times. He was the inventor of microwaves, the first semiconductor detector and a pioneer in electrophysiology. He may as well be the first inter-disciplinary scientist in the world. Even after JC Bose, the Bose Institute carried forward the rich legacy of its founder and several important discoveries have been made by researchers here, for example, signature of pion in cosmic rays by DM Bose, discovery of cholera toxin by SN DeBose and, very recently, during the Centenary Year, the major finding through cosmic ray studies that solar flares suppress the Earth’s magnetic field.

Not surprisingly, the Institute celebrated its Centenary Year with great fervor, and with encouragement and financial support from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, organized a series of national and international conferences and symposia, lectures by leading national and international scientists including several Nobel Laureates and laid the foundations for launching a couple on new research programmes on Climate Change and Systems Biology. A major achievement during the year was the completion of the Rs. 224 crore-Unified Academic Campus for the Institute in Salt Lake, Kolkata which would not only bring all research activities of the Institute under one roof, but also help enlarge the research programmes with scope for new laboratories.

The Hon’ble President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, graced the Closing Ceremony of Centenary Celebrations of Bose Institute on 29 November 2017. The Hon’ble President appreciated the efforts of Bose Institute to maintain its academic excellence, its plans to get into newer areas of research and for greater scientific outreach through society-related programmes. The inspiring presence of the Hon’ble President and his words of wisdom marked a grand end to the Centenary Year.

Date:
Thursday, November 30, 2017
Hon'ble President's Programme in Raj Bhavan, Kolkata on 28 Nov 2017

Vigyan Chintan: Scientific Eco-System in Kolkata

Raj Bhavan, Kolkata, November 28, 2017, 4:30 pm

During his visit to Kolkata on November 28-29, 2017, the Hon’ble President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, met the Heads of some select Scientific and Higher Educational Institutions and some leading scientists of Kolkata in a meeting at the Raj Bhavan on November 28, 2017 at 4:30 pm. The meeting was very aptly titled as “Vigyan Chintan: Scientific Eco-System in Kolkata” and it was organized to recount Kolkata’s rich legacy of scientific research, appreciate the fertile eco-system the city offeredfor pursuing and maintaining excellence in scientific research, and also discuss plans for even more active Research and Development (R&D) Programmes in future. While the thrust on internationally competitive basic research at the forefront of knowledge was appreciated, efforts to impart the R&D programmes greater societal relevance for pushing the national developmental agenda were also discussed. The structure and planning of the meeting vindicated the need to bring the R&D laboratories and universities closer together. Finally, the meeting confirmed that Kolkata, with a large number of leading scientific research institutions, could well be the torchbearer for greater synergies in national R&D efforts.

Date:
Thursday, November 30, 2017
DST-Intel-IUSSTF IRIS-2017 Winners - Press Release - IRIS National Science Fair 2017

View - Factsheet - IRIS 2017 [PDF]421.08 KB

 

Date:
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
10 Women Founded Technology Startups Receive the Women Entrepreneur Quest (WEQ) 2017 Award

View Press Release[PDF]832.11 KB

Date:
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
National Entrepreneurship Award 2017 under Mentor (Government) Category awarded to Dr. Renu Swarup, Senior Adviser, DBT

Dr. Renu Swarup, Senior Adviser in the Department of Bio-technology, Ministry of Science & Technology has been awarded with National Entrepreneurship Award, 2017 under Mentor (Government) category in the Recognition Track. Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley presented the awards at the National Entrepreneurship Award Ceremony, 2017 in New Delhi. 

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Dr Renu Swarup is presently Senior Adviser for Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology.  She also holds position of Managing Director, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a Public Sector Company.

A PhD in Genetics and Plant Breeding, Dr. Renu Swarup completed her Post Doctoral at The John Innes Centre, Norwich UK, under Commonwealth Scholarship and returned to India to take up the assignment of a Science Manager in the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, in 1989. As a Science Manager, issues related to policy planning and implementations are a part of her assignment. She was actively engaged in formulation of the Biotechnology Vision in 2001, National Biotechnology Development Strategy in 2007 and Strategy II, 2015-20 as the Member Secretary of the Expert Committee.

Dr. Renu Swarup also holds charge of Managing Director, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a Public Sector Company incorporated by the Government of India to nurture and promote innovation research in the Biotech Enterprise with special focus on Start-ups and SMEs. Through Biotechnology translational research and industry academia partnerships she has supported more than 1000 Start-ups and Entrepreneurs and nearly 500 small companies for innovation research and product development.

A Member of the National Academy of Sciences India (NASI), she is also a Member of Governing Body of National Institutes, Universities and Centers. She was awarded the “Bio-Spectrum Person of the Year Award” in 2012.

Date:
Monday, November 13, 2017
Harnessing science and technology for a better future of people is the new spirit which drives the present Indo-UK cooperation - Dr. Harshvardhan

India and UK Science & Technology Ministers review the progress made in the India-UK partnership in science, technology and innovation
 

Science and Technology Ministers of India and UK reviewed the progress made in the India-UK partnership in science, technology and innovation which has been significantly intensified under the Newton-Bhabha programme. Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Dr. Harsh Vardhan, had a meeting with UK Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation Mr. Jo Johnson in New Delhi today.

Based on the shared principles of co-funding, co-development and co-creation multiple agencies both in India and UK are seamlessly contributing to the multifaceted cooperation which covers the three strands of people, project and translational research partnerships. Both the Ministers reiterated the spirit and essence of the Newton-Bhabha program which underlines that the scientific knowledge creation and its application is directed for the welfare of both the nations. In this context, Dr. Harsh Vardhan remarked that “harnessing science and technology for a better future of our people is the new spirit which drives the present Indo-UK cooperation.”

In November 2016, UK was the partner country in the Technology Summit which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Theresa May. Speaking in the event, our PM had remarked “today, the world is at an inflection point where technology advancement is transformational and it is vital that India and the United Kingdom, two countries linked by history, work together to define the knowledge economy of the 21st century”. Towards achieving this goal several major initiatives have been recently launched as a part of the multifaceted collaboration in STI between India and the UK. These include projects on Energy Efficient Building Materials as a part of green initiative with co-investment of £ 8.4 million. Indo-UK Clean Energy Virtual Centre has been established with leading academic centres in India and UK to work on advanced R&D in Solar Energy, Storage and Grid Networks.

The two Ministers welcomed the release of the scoping Indo-UK report on Antimicrobial Resistance which has been prepared to launch a virtual research centre to address the increasingly serious threat to public and animal health in both countries. To study the impact of atmospheric pollution on Human Health a programme has been launched and first campaign for taking observation in Delhi is scheduled to begin soon.

Under Industrial R&D programme India and UK have made visible progress with support to 10 joint projects led by industries from both sides towards co-development of Clean Technologies and Affordable Healthcare devises.

In the meeting between the Science Ministers, it was also informed that the India-UK Frontiers of Science Symposium is planned for summer of 2018 in UK which will bring the future science leaders across disciplines for brainstorming the future direction of the bilateral cooperation.

Date:
Thursday, November 2, 2017

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