CSIR’s Initiatives for enabling the Indian Leather Industry

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
“Need to Break the Mindset of Working in Silos and Work Collectively Towards Developing Synergy”: Dr. Harsh Vardhan

Inter-Ministerial Coordination Meeting Held at Environment Ministry
Posted On: 22 JAN 2018 7:02PM by PIB Delhi

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan has emphasised the need to break the mindset of “working in silos” and to work collectively towards developing synergy for technological solutions and for optimal utilization. Addressing the Inter-ministerial Coordination meeting of 5 Ministries/Departments headed by the Minister that took place at Indira Paryavaran Bhawan here today, Dr. Harsh Vardhan urged the concerned Ministries and departments to identify commonalities for technological solutions that can be taken to various stakeholders. He said that all sorts of problems can be solved through science, but the approach towards it needs to be changed in favour of collaborative efforts and developing synergies. The Minister added that an excellent synergy has already been developed within the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Ministry of Earth Sciences (MOES) and now the same has to be replicated with the MOEFCC also. Dr. Harsh Vardhan further stated that CSIR, DST, DBT and MOES have excellent research capabilities and the Environment Ministry can be benefited from this.

Underlining the need to formulate well-defined goals and time-bound actions, Dr. Harsh Vardhan said that a working group will be formed and MoEFCC will work as a secretariat, while each of the Ministries will nominate its nodal officers. He strongly emphasized the need to come up with results over the next one year. The Minister also stated that meetings of the joint working group will be held every month and a quarterly meeting will be held at the Minister’s level. However, he also pointed out that the meeting will be attended by all concerned project groups of all the Ministries.

Recollecting the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, talking of “Scientific Social Responsibility”, Dr. Harsh Vardhan averred that there is an urgent need to put science to use for the benefit of people. He urged the scientists and the senior officers present at the meeting to also work out innovative solutions and projects for 115 aspirational districts to improve their Human Development Index (HDI).

Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri C.K Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Dr M Rajeevan, Secretary, Department of Science & Technology, Prof Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research & DG, CSIR, Dr. Girish Sahni, Secretary, DBT, Prof. K.Vijay Raghavan DG, Forest, and Special Secretary, MoEF&CC, Dr. Siddhant Das, DG, IMD, Dr. K.J Ramesh, Chairman, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Shri S.P.S Parihar and other senior officers of the 5 Ministries/Departments were among those who attended the meeting.

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[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Earth Science
30-January, 2018 17:18 IST
Dr. Harsh vardhan inaugurates high performance computing (HPC) facility at Noida

Facility to propel India’s ranking to Top 30 in the list of hpc facilities in The World

Union Minister for Earth Science, Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan has urged scientists and researchers to strengthen fundamental science and move towards solution science. Dedicating to the nation, the High Performance Computer (HPC) System named ‘Mihir’ (meaning ‘Sun’) at the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) at Noida today, Dr. Harsh Vardhan said that with this facility, India’s capacity in weather forecasting will improve. The Minister said that the HPC facility will be India’s largest HPC facility in terms of peak capacity and performance and will propel India’s ranking from the 368th position to around the top 30 in the Top 500 list of HPC facilities in the world. He also pointed out that India will now also be ranked 4th, after Japan, UK and USA for dedicated HPC resources for weather/climate community. Dr. Harsh Vardhan expressed confidence that soon India will be able to match the capacities of these four nations. Stating that India’s scientific research capabilities can be compared to the best in the world, he pointed out that Government sponsored National Laboratories top the institutions contribute most in terms of number of research papers in the field of Earth Sciences.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan stated that the Ministry, in collaboration with Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is providing district-level agro meteorological advisories to farmers through 130 agromet field units. “Presently about 24 million farmers receive these advisories with information of weather forecasts on district level. These services will now be extended to block level (for about 6500 blocks) by establishing district centres (630 centres) with the help of ICAR KrishiVigyanKendras. It is planned to reach out to about 45 million farmers by July 2018”, he said. In this regard, the Minister also referred to the Union Cabinet’s approval to the National Monsoon Mission. Recounting some of the other achievements of Ministry of Earth Science, Dr. Harsh Vardhan referred to a Rs. 500 crore project in Koyna for putting in place an earthquake warning system.

Speaking on the occasion, Secretary, MoES, Dr M. Rajeevan said that at present, forecasts are being made for the district level, but efforts are being made to take it down to the block level.

The new HPC facility is expected to improve the following services:

• Weather forecasts at block level over India which can predict extreme weather events.
• High resolution seasonal/extended range forecasts of active/break spells of Monsoon.
• Very high resolution coupled models for prediction of cyclones with more accuracy and lead time.
• Ocean state forecasts including marine water quality forecasts at very high resolution.
• Tsunami forecasts with greater lead time.
• Air quality forecasts for various cities
• Climate projections at very high resolution.

This new HPC facility will not only help in meeting the operational requirements of the MoES but also support the research and development activities in MoES and other academic institutions working on various problems related to Earth Science. The Ministry of Earth Science has developed several services for societal benefits catering to a variety of sectors of economy by building state-of-the-art systems for multi-hazard risk reduction from cyclones, floods/droughts, heat/cold waves, earthquakes and tsunamis. The Ministry has acquired the HPC facility of 6.8 Peta Flops (PF) and has been installed at two of its constituent units: 4.0 Peta Flops HPC facility at Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune and 2.8 Peta Flops facility at NCMRWF, Noida. The HPC facility ‘Pratyush’ at IITM was dedicated to the nation on January 8, 2018. This facility is part of Ministry’s continuous endeavor to provide world class forecast services to the citizens of India through its various operational and research and development activities.

The Ministry holistically addresses all aspects related to the Earth System Science for providing weather, climate, ocean, coastal state, hydrological and seismological services. The services include forecasts and warnings for various natural disasters. In addition, the ministry also has the mandate to undertake ocean surveys for living and non-living resources and exploration of all the three poles (Arctic, Antarctic and Himalayas). The services provided by the Ministry are being effectively used by different agencies and state governments for saving human lives and minimizing damages due to natural disasters.



REPORT ON BIBLIOMETRICS ANALYSIS OF RESEARCH IN EARTH SCIENCE RELEASED


Dr. Harsh Vardhan also released the report titled “Bibliometrics analysis of research in the field of Earth System Science” on the occasion. He emphasized that on an average, Indian researchers contribute about 5% of papers in Earth Sciences published worldwide and Indian researchers contribute about 7% of highly cited papers published in Earth Sciences worldwide.

After releasing the report, the Minister said that India’s scholarly output has shown a growth of 11.8% (Compound Annual Growth Rate) during 2006-2015, registering a sharp increase from 5.6% (1995 to 2005). The Minister underlined that in terms of number of research papers during the recent decade (2006-2015), India stands 1st in Himalayan Research, 9th in Atmospheric Sciences, 9th in Geosciences, 15th in Ocean sciences, 16th in Antarctic Research and 25th in the field of Arctic Research. The Minister also stated that institutes that top in various fields include - NGRI, Hyderabad in Geosciences, IITM Pune in Atmospheric Sciences, NIO Goa in Ocean Science, NCAOR Goa in Antarctic and Arctic Sciences and Wadia Institute Dehradun in Himalayan Science. Dr. Harsh Vardhan also pointed out that some universities come very close to the top positions and cited Annamalai University in Ocean Sciences and IIT Kharagpur in Geosciences as examples.

Expert analysis of global research outputs is an essential prerequisite to understand global structure and dynamics of research and development and integrate it into policy documents. Latest tools and techniques of Bibliometrics and Scientometrics are routinely used for such analysis. Understanding the importance of this activity, a project was taken up for the first time in the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) to carry out intensive analysis of research landscape of Earth System Science in India and the world, in two time periods: 1996-2005 and 2006-2015. Publication of the report titled “Bibliometrics analysis of research in the field of Earth System Science” is the outcome towards that end. The report will help us to understand research development scenario in Earth System Science, and the position of India in international landscape.

The Study was performed on the following six topics which are of relevance to the Ministry of Earth Sciences, in two time periods, 1996 to 2005 and 2006 to 2015.

1. Antarctic Research
2. Arctic Research

• Himalayan Research

1. Atmospheric Science & Technology
2. Geo-science and Technology (Geo Research) and
3. Ocean Science and Technology (Ocean Research).

Some other key findings:

• Global research in Earth System Science published 340,905 papers between 1996 and 2005 and 571,616 papers between 2006 and 2015, a nearly 70% increase between the two decades. Annual research output in all subject areas increased in the 20-year period.
• The proportion of internationally collaborative papers also increased from 27.6% to 36.7%. Between 1996-2005 and 2006-2015, the level of international collaboration increased in the most recent period in all six subject areas.
• On an average 20-30% of research papers published by Indian researchers come from international collaborations.
• Among the funding agencies in research, DST, MOES and CSIR contribute maximum number of research papers.

Director, Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Dr. K.J Ramesh, the Head of NCMRWF, Dr. E.N Rajgopal, Project Director, Dr. Praveen Kumar, Joint Secretary, MoES, Dr. Vipin Chandra were among those in the gathering.



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[Hindustani78]

The Union Minister for Commerce & Industry, Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu lighting the lamp to inaugurate the 33rd India International Leather Fair 2018, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu on January 31, 2018. The Minister for Industries, Tamil Nadu, Shri M.C. Sampath and the Minister for Rural Industries, Tamil Nadu, Shri P. Benjamin are also seen.

The Union Minister for Commerce & Industry, Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu releasing the Fair Guide at the inauguration of the 33rd India International Leather Fair 2018, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu on January 31, 2018. The Minister for Industries, Tamil Nadu, Shri M.C. Sampath and the Minister for Rural Industries, Tamil Nadu, Shri P. Benjamin are also seen.

The Union Minister for Commerce & Industry, Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu launching the Mobile App, at the inauguration of the 33rd India International Leather Fair 2018, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu on January 31, 2018. The Minister for Industries, Tamil Nadu, Shri M.C. Sampath and the Minister for Rural Industries, Tamil Nadu, Shri P. Benjamin are also seen.

The Union Minister for Commerce & Industry, Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu launching the Indian Footwear Leather Accessories Development Program 2017-20, at the inauguration of the 33rd India International Leather Fair 2018, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu on January 31, 2018. The Minister for Industries, Tamil Nadu, Shri M.C. Sampath and the Minister for Rural Industries, Tamil Nadu, Shri P. Benjamin are also seen.

The Union Minister for Commerce & Industry, Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu giving away the ‘CLE Export Excellence Awards’ to the winners, at the inauguration of the 33rd India International Leather Fair 2018, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu on January 31, 2018. The Minister for Industries, Tamil Nadu, Shri M.C. Sampath and the Minister for Rural Industries, Tamil Nadu, Shri P. Benjamin are also seen.

The Union Minister for Commerce & Industry, Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu addressing at the inauguration of the 33rd India International Leather Fair 2018, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu on January 31, 2018.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Science & Technology
05-February, 2018 13:22 IST
Dr Harsh Vardhan sets up Mechanism in CSIR to interact with Small-Scale Industry for transfer of Technology from CSIR Labs

Union Minister for Science & Technology Dr Harsh Vardhan has set up a mechanism in CSIR for regular interface with small-scale industry for transfer of technologies from CSIR laboratories. An announcement to this effect was made during an interaction with members of Laghu Udyog Bharati, an all-India organisation of small scale industries here yesterday.



Dr Harsh Vardhan told Laghu Udyog Bharati representatives that he had also convened an impromptu meeting with the nodal officer and representatives of Laghu Udyog Bharati. Laghu Udyog Bharati has 450 branches and 25,000-member units across the country. Laghu Udyog Bharati leaders led by its National Secretary Sampat Toshniwal told Dr Vardhan that there is a disconnect between CSIR and the small-scale industries and it should be addressed. “A nodal officer in CSIR will coordinate with the small-scale industry and CSIR labs for appropriate technology required by them,”



CSIR laboratories have patented over 1, 000 processes and technologies, which are available for commercial exploitation. Some of these technologies have been commercialised. In addition, 139 fast track translational research projects are in progress, which will address the needs of the society, that have not been met. CSIR labs are willing to work with user industries to develop applications and products to meet the needs of the market.



CSIR covers a wide spectrum of science and technology – from radio and space physics, oceanography, earth sciences, geophysics, chemicals, drugs, genomics, biotechnology and nanotechnology to mining, materials, aeronautics, instrumentation, environmental engineering and information technology.



SSI sector is the largest employment provider in the country, next to agriculture. It contributes almost 40% of the gross industrial value added in the Indian economy.



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[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Science & Technology
12-February, 2018 17:53 IST
“Budget gives big boost to investment in Science and Technology for brighter future”

It is heartening to note that the recent budget announcements have once again reiterated the Present Government’s intent and resolve to give full support to Science and Technology endeavours for the cause of national development.

Ministry of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences cover a very large canvas of R&D from deep oceans to mysteries of universe. The range personnel in these Ministries/ Departments encompasses grassroots innovators to top class of scientists. Their activities impact right from a farmer in a remote corner of the country to sophisticated industries such as aerospace.

To cater to such a large audience, it is necessary that adequate investments are made in scientific research, innovation and technology development. Present Government has consciously provided higher allocations for Science, Technology and Innovation promotion.

Budget allocation for Department of Science and Technology during last 5 years was Rs.19764 cr, which is a whopping 90% increase over the preceding 5 years (2009-10 to 2013-14). Similarly, there was an increase of 65% for Department of Biotechnology; almost 43% increase for Council of Scientific and Industrial Research; and 26% increase for Ministry of Earth Sciences during the last 5 years. The upward trend continued for budget allocation for 2018-19.

During the last 3-4 years our activities of Ministries of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences have been realigned and now there is a judicious mix of fundamental science and application science. This year’s budget announcement on Mission for Cyber-Physical-Systems is one such example of application science. Mission projects on Super computing; Aroma; Sickle cell anemia; and Biopharma are some illustrative examples of application and solution science initiatives. The list of such initiatives is very large.

Innovation and start-up activities have received a big support during this period. Business incubation facilities have almost been doubled. During 2018-19 itself, 15 new Biotechnology Incubators and 15-20 new Technology Business Incubators will be established to incubate start-ups. Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) alone would support 3000 additional start-ups next year.

CSIR, amongst 100 top organisations in the world, spearheads the industry relevant research. The R&D efforts of CSIR are aligned to the needs of the domestic industry and the social needs of the nation. They cater to the initiatives such as Make in India; Swachch Bharat; Clean Ganga; Swastha Bharat; Smart Cities; Smart Villages; Clean, efficient, affordable and renewable energy technology solutions; and Innovate in India etc. in a significant way.

Any S&T intervention which facilitates farmers and farming activities to improve crop productivity makes a huge impact on rural economy. Agrometeorological advisories to farmers is one such mechanism which benefits them in their day to day farming operations. During 2018-19, these advisories will reach 50 million farmers from the present 24 million. ‘Biotech Kisan’ is another such initiative which is assisting farmers in 15 agro-climatic zones. Similarly, thousands of farmers are getting benefitted under Aroma Mission for cultivation of aromatic plants.

Pt Deen Dayal Upadhyay Vigyan Gram Sankul Pariyojana for integrated development of cluster of villages in Uttarakhand through S&T interventions utilising local resources and local skills to provide opportunities of better livelihood at the local level is another example of a project targeted to benefit the common man.

Development of clean energy options and providing water related solutions and demonstration and deployment of other successful technology solutions will be pursued vigorously during the next financial year.

The way the present Government has made investments in Science and Technology endeavours and the new thrust given to several new initiatives which directly benefit the common man by the Ministry of S&T and Earth Sciences would translate such measures into prosperity and general welfare of the masses.

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[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Science & Technology
26-February, 2018 17:57 IST
CSIR signs MoU with IORA: CSIR-CIMAP to host coordinating center on medicinal plants

Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) has entered into a MoU with the Regional Center for Science and Technology Transfer (RCSTT) of Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) for designating Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow (CSIR-CIMAP) as Coordinating Center on Medicinal Plants.

The MoU was signed by Prof. Anil Kumar Tripathi, Director CSIR-CIMAP and Dr. A. Sedrpousan, Director, IORA-RCSTT. The Indian delegation was led by Dr. Girish Sahni, DG, CSIR and Secretary, DSIR. The delegation also attended the 31st Khwarizmi International Award Ceremony which was addressed by H.E. Dr. Hassan Rouhani, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The IORA Center at CSIR-CIMAP will establish a database on the important medicinal plants, their value added products, related experts and industries of the IORA member states and organize meetings and training programmes to promote trade, commerce and scientific exchanges to complement the strength and limitation of the member states.

The IORA is an association of 21 countries and 7 dialogue partners which have identified 6 areas of cooperation including medicinal plants.


Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Girish Sahni, Director General, CSIR mentioned the strength of CSIR in several areas of Science and Technology in which CSIR has developed expertise and contributed in solving hundreds of problems of people. He invited a delegation of scientists and business houses to visit CSIR labs in India to explore the possibilities of partnerships between CSIR labs and Iranian industry.

Dr. Nokwe expressed the hope that the Coordination Center will promote cooperation in the area of traditional knowledge related to medicinal plants for the welfare of the people of IORA member states. She also indicated that this will provide an opportunity for two important member states of IORA (India and Iran) to enhance cooperation between them.

The Iranian side emphasized the historical importance of this initiative and expressed their happiness and optimism on this new initiative. This is a major development to boost the relationship between India and Iran.

Mr. Sanjay Panda, Joint Secretary (IOR), Ministry of External Affair, Government of India emphasized the importance of this initiative and the role India plays in Indian Ocean region. In view of the importance India attaches to its role in IORA, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India has committed it's support towards the establishment and operationalization of the proposed coordination center at CSIR-CIMAP, Lucknow.



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[Hindustani78]

Efficiency: Lithium-ion batteries used widely are disposed, leading to mounting e-waste. Our method helps reuse these, says Subrata Kundu (right).

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/sc...n-batteries/article22917945.ece?homepage=true

Graphene oxide from old batteries was used

Used old batteries can now help create supercapacitors, which can in turn create better long-lasting batteries.

Scientists from CSIR–Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CSIR-CECRI) in Karaikudi, Tamilnadu, and CSIR–Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSIR-CSMCRI) in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, collected discarded lithium-ion batteries and created reduced graphene oxide from them. This new material showed high specific capacity at low current making it an ideal material for next generation high-performance supercapacitor.

“The specific capacity was found to be 112 farad per gram from fundamental evaluation, which is almost equal to the commercially available ones. Also the ones available in market today are created using activated carbon which is expensive and environmentally hazardous while our method is cheaper and fully environmental friendly” explains by Sivasankara Rao Ede, Ph.D scholar from CSIR-CECRI and one of the first authors of the paper published in Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects.

The new electrodes made using the reduced graphene oxide showed high stability even after 20,000 cycles. They also had high retention capacity where 70% of the efficiency was retained even after 85 cycles. The efficiency slowly increased and reached 108% after 20,000 cycles. The long-term stability and robustness of the capacitor are the key parameters for qualifying as suitable candidates for commercial application.

“Today lithium-ion batteries are used widely and disposed after they run out, leading to mounting e-waste. We tried a new method and succeeded in recycling and reusing these batteries,” says Dr Subrata Kundu, from CSIR-CECRI and one of the corresponding authors.

The graphite anode and aluminium and stainless steel from dismantled batteries were used. The graphite was converted into graphene oxide by oxidation and subsequent exfoliation. Graphene oxide was further reduced to reduced graphene oxide.

Supercapacitors are now being used explicitly in wind turbine pitch control, rail (on-board or wayside), automotive (including hybrid vehicles), heavy industrial equipment, UPS and Telecom systems for power delivery and memory backup. “We are further evaluating the capacitive nature of our prepared electrode in two electrode system and hope to bring it out soon for large scale commercial applications,” says H. C. Bajaj, emeritus scientist at CSIR-CSMCRI and the other corresponding author.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Science & Technology
13-March, 2018 18:58 IST
CSIR and National University (VNU) to Collaborate for Joint Research

Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) and National University (VNU) would undertake joint research in R&D areas of mutual interest.A high profile delegation from National University(NU), led by the NU President - visited the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) on and met the Director General of CSIR – Dr. Girish Sahni. The objective was to discuss the modalities of collaborative R&D activities. In the meeting,various modes of partnership which could be considered for operationalization were discussed. CSIR and NU would collaborate initially through student exchange programmes at the Ph.D. level. The two sides would set up a Joint Working Group to execute research projects of mutual interest in the areas of material science, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and general technology applications. Partnerships could be in the form of joint research projects, training programmes or throughTechnology Transfer arrangements.

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[Hindustani78]

Vice President's Secretariat
29-March, 2018 15:18 IST
Science is important for the betterment of life: Vice President

Nature and culture must be combined for the betterment of mankind; Addresses Earth Scientists at NGRI

The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkiaha Naidu has said that Science is important for the betterment of life. He was addressing the Scientists and Researchers of National Geophysical Research Institute, in Hyderabad today.

The Vice President said that nature and culture must be combined for the betterment of mankind. He urged earth scientists to work towards sustainable goals, meet societal needs and facilitate nation building adding that climate change, global warming, sustainable development, and clean energy, have become major challenges for mankind. It is notable that through its unique R&D interventions, CSIR is addressing national goals and Missions such as Swachh Bharat, Swasth Bharat, Samarth Bharat, Make in India, Startup India and Skill India, he added.

The Vice President asked Indian scientific institutions to increase the number of patents and research publications in international journals. He further said that Bibliometric analysis of research in the field of Earth System Science has revealed that on an average, Indian researchers contribute about 5% of papers in Earth Sciences published worldwide. I am sure all of you will agree on the need to improve it, he added.

The Vice President said that there is a need to expand the linkages between scientific institutions, universities and the industry to promote innovations and research that is relevant to our needs. He further said that CSIR and its institutions like the NGRI to popularize science so that more and more children get interested in pursuing science subjects.

Following is the text of Vice President's address:

"I am aware that NGRI is a premier geo-scientific research organization established in 1961 under the aegis of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), India's largest Research and Development organization.

CSIR is known for its cutting edge R&D knowledge base in diverse S&T areas and today it is a globally benchmarked R & D organization. I am pleased to note that CSIR has been ranked 9th in the world amongst the 1207 government institutions, with an overall global ranking of 75 in the world, covering 5250 institutions. In the Asiatic region, it ranks 14th out of 1431 entities, and at No 3 among 284 Government-funded research bodies, with only Chinese Academy of Sciences and Japan Science and Technology Agency ahead of the Council. CSIR is the only Indian organization among the Top 100 global institutions. A total of 252 Indian organizations are covered in the evaluation.

Science and technology has been an integral part of India's culture and tradition. Ancient India was known for the rich scientific contributions—right from the use of zero, precise calculation of eclipses, concept of atom, to Shushruta Samhita involving complex surgery and Charak explicitly describing diseases, their causes and modes of treatment. The civilizations of Mohenjo Daro and Harappa are ample proof that ancient India was more advanced than the rest of the world at that time. Therefore, in keeping up with our rich tradition, the onus lies on the scientific community at large, to scale up research and development activities in different domains for meeting the aspirations of the common man.

It is notable that through its unique R&D interventions, CSIR is addressing national goals and Missions such as Swachh Bharat, Swasth Bharat, Samarth Bharat, Make in India, Startup India and Skill India.

There are 17 sustainable development goals identified by the United Nations, and NGRI having a vast repository of knowledge and expertise, must strive to become the forerunner in areas such as water and sanitation, climate change, energy and in its sustainable production and consumption. There are many societal needs which can be addressed through scientific innovation. Scientists need to put in concerted efforts to provide solutions to the many problems faced by mankind and ensure that Mother Earth is a better place to reside for the present and future generations to come.

I feel, R & D must focus on both—basic research and finding solutions to day-to-day societal problems. Of course, there is a need to step up R & D funding, which cannot be done by government alone. The corporate sector, especially bodies like CII and FICCI, should identify some areas of applied research and set up a corpus to fund innovations in those fields.

There is also a need for various Indian scientific institutions to increase the number of patents and research publications in international journals.

I have taken note of the fact that CSIR-NGRI has carved a niche for itself in the global map of geo-science research organizations through its research activities relating to fundamental understanding of the earth system and processes, earthquake hazards, exploration and management of ground water, hydrocarbons and minerals. Such research activities will help various stakeholders, including the government and the private sector, to make informed decisions on sustainable use of geo-resources.

Bibliometric analysis of research in the field of Earth System Science has revealed that on an average, Indian researchers contribute about 5% of papers in Earth Sciences published worldwide. I am sure all of you will agree on the need to improve it.

With respect to Geosciences, NGRI occupies the foremost position in India, and it is commendable that India is ranked 9th globally regarding publications in the field of Geosciences.

Science is important for the betterment of life. Nature and culture must be combined for the betterment of mankind.

I am glad to note that CSIR-NGRI research programs are broad based and aligned to national priorities and Missions of the Govt. of India. The innovative methods using satellite and helicopter-based technology have opened a new vista for ground water studies and also provided inputs for the Namami Gange (Clean Ganga programme).Interesting scientific intervention at Choutuppal Mandal, in the construction of a percolation tank, for watershed management, is being adopted by the Telangana State Government, under the Mission Kakatiya Programme for conservation of water resources across the state of Telangana. This is an important step in tune with Government’s mandate of enhancing cultivable land and doubling agrarian income by 2022, when India celebrates 75 years of its Independence.

I am pleased to know about the research projects undertaken by NGRI such as earthquake hazard assessment and modelling tsunamigenic impact on east and west coast to provide safety and security to people and vital installations; uranium exploration to ensure self-reliance in nuclear power and identification and quantitative assessment of gas hydrates along the Indian continental margin for an alternative source of energy.

I would also like CSIR and its institutions like the NGRI to popularize science so that more and more children get interested in pursuing science subjects. No country can make progress without strong scientific foundations. We also need to have state-of-the-art R & D base that will cater to both, the academia and the industry. Of course, there is also a need to expand the linkages between scientific institutions, universities and the industry to promote innovations and research that is relevant to our needs.

I would like to conclude, by placing emphasis on the fact, that science is the one and only medium that can provide solutions for the present and emerging problems in the years to come. Mankind faces numerous challenges related to climate change, global warming, sustainable development, clean energy water etc, and hence I earnestly urge the earth scientists present here, to work towards sustainable goals, meet societal needs and facilitate nation building.



Jai Hind !"

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[Hindustani78]

The Vice President, Shri M. Venkiaha Naidu at an event to interact with the Scientists and Researchers of National Geophysical Research Institute, in Hyderabad on March 29, 2018.

The Vice President, Shri M. Venkiaha Naidu interacting with the Scientists and Researchers of National Geophysical Research Institute, in Hyderabad on March 29, 2018.

The Vice President, Shri M. Venkiaha Naidu interacting with the Scientists and Researchers of National Geophysical Research Institute, in Hyderabad on March 29, 2018.

The Vice President, Shri M. Venkiaha Naidu addressing the Scientists and Researchers of National Geophysical Research Institute, in Hyderabad on March 29, 2018.

The Vice President, Shri M. Venkiaha Naidu addressing the Scientists and Researchers of National Geophysical Research Institute, in Hyderabad on March 29, 2018.

The Vice President, Shri M. Venkiaha Naidu with the Scientists and Researchers of National Geophysical Research Institute, in Hyderabad on March 29, 2018.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Earth Science
07-April, 2018 10:34 IST
Severe Weather Warning

India Meteorological Department has issued severe weather warning for the five days as below:



07 April (Day 1):♦ Heavy rain very likely at isolated places over Meghalaya.

♦ Thunderstorm accompanied with squall and hail very likely at isolated places over Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha.

♦ Thunderstorm accompanied with squall very likely at isolated places over Bihar, Assam & Meghalaya and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram & Tripura.

♦ Thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds & lightning very likely at isolated places over Madhya Maharashtra and Marathwada.

♦ Thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds very likely at isolated places over East Uttar Pradesh, interior Tamilnadu, Interior Karnataka, north Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh and SubHimalayan West Bengal & Sikkim



08 April (Day 2): ♦ Heavy rain very likely at isolated places over SubHimalayan West Bengal & Sikkim.

♦ Thunderstorm accompanied with squall and hail very likely at isolated places over Uttrakhand and Odisha.

♦ Thunderstorm accompanied with squall very likely at isolated places over SubHimalayan West Bengal & Sikkim, Bihar, north Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.

♦ Thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds & lightning very likely at isolated places over Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada and south Konkan & Goa.

♦ Thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds very likely at isolated places over interior Tamilnadu, Kerala, Interior & Coastal Karnataka,Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Gangetic West Bengal and East Madhya Pradesh.



09 April (Day 3)♦ Thunderstorm accompanied with squall and hail likely at isolated places over Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

♦ Thunderstorm accompanied with squall likely at isolated places over Punjab.

♦ Thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds likely at isolated places over Kerala and Haryana, Chandigarh & Delhi.



10 April (Day 4): ♦ Thunderstorm accompanied with squall and hail likely at isolated places over Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

♦ Thunderstorm accompanied with squall likely at isolated places over Punjab and north Uttar Pradesh.

♦ Thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds likely at isolated places over Haryana, Chandigarh & Delhi.



11 April (Day 5): ♦ Thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds likely at isolated places over SubHimalayan West Bengal & Sikkim, Assam & Meghalaya and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram & Tripura.

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SRD

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Science & Technology
26-April, 2018 20:38 IST
CSIR bags National Intellectual Property (IP) Award 2018 in the category Top R&D Institution / Organization for Patents and Commercialization

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is awarded the National Intellectual Property (IP) Award 2018 in the category “Top R&D Institution / Organization for Patents and Commercialization”. Dr. Girish Sahni, DG, CSIR and Secretary, DSIR received the award today at the hands of Mr. Suresh Prabhu, Hon’ble Minister, Commerce and Industry, Government of India, at a function organized by the Indian Intellectual Property Office and Confederation of Indian Chambers of Commerce (CII) in New Delhi, to celebrate the World IP Day.

The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) is a contemporary R&D organization. It has been ranked 9th in the world amongst the 1207 government institutions, with an overall global ranking of 75 in the world, covering 5250 institutions. Pioneer of India’s intellectual property movement, CSIR today is strengthening its patent portfolio to carve out global niches in select technology domains.

CSIR Laboratories have been developing and providing Technology focused at the unmet need and the cutting edge knowledgebase and human resource on the other, for socio-economic development in the Country. The CSIR S&T domains range from environment to health and drinking water, from food, housing, energy to specialty chemicals & petrochemicals, glass & ceramics to mining, metals & minerals, medicinal plants, leather to machinery, instrumentation and strategic sectors including aerospace. It is contributing for the Missions such as Swachh Bharat, Swasth Bharat, Samarth Bharat, Make in India, Innovate for India, Startup India and Skill India.

The Indian Intellectual Property Office confers National Intellectual Property (IP) Award on outstanding innovators, organizations and companies in the fields of patents, designs, trademarks and geographical indications on the occasion of World IP Day every year.

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[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Science & Technology
12-August, 2018 12:18 IST
CSIR’s new patented Clot buster, PEGylated Streptokinase set to revolutionize the treatment of Strokes.

A new Clot buster, PEGylated Streptokinase - a Novel Biological Entity developed by Dr. Girish Sahni, DG, CSIR and Secretary, DSIR and his team of inventors at CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology (CSIR-IMTECH), Chandigarh is all set to revolutionize the treatment of ischemic strokes. Ischemic stroke is a condition caused by a dysfunction in the supply of blood to the brain due to emboli, thrombus or atherosclerosis occurring in cerebral arteries. According to the American Stroke Association (ASA), brain strokes are the second leading cause of death in the world with a staggering 15 million people effected causing 11 million people either die or become permanently disabled. Surprisingly, the prevalence of stroke is much higher in India than the West and about 87% of all strokes are ischemic strokes.

Dr. Anil Koul, Director, CSIR-IMTECH, Dr. Girish Sahni, DG, CSIR and Mr. Debayan Ghosh, President, Epygen

CSIR-IMTECH and Epygen Biotech Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, have entered into an agreement for the latter to develop PEGylated Streptokinase for treatment of Ischemic Stroke.Epygen is the first company in India with exclusive license of this Novel Biological Entity (NBE) thrombolytic protein for ischemic stroke. Epygen Biotech Pvt Ltd is a biopharmaceutical company, engaged in research and manufacturing of Therapeutic Proteins for Oncology, Cardiovascular and Immune disorders.

PEGylated Streptokinase, the novel recombinant protein Thrombolytic molecule has been precisely engineered through decades of research for enhanced proteolytic stability and extended plasma half-life, fibrin-specificity and associated clot specificity, with reduced immuno-reactivity which would be significant attributes with unmistakable clinical advantages such as reduced probability of hemorrhage over current treatment regimens of thrombolytic drugs for acute stroke. These are huge advantages with a potential to transform the way ischemic stroke, deep-vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism and acute myocardial infarction are treated around the globe, especially in the developing world.



GK

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