New Delhi: India’s achievements in the fields of science, technology and space over the last decade have helped gain global recognition and respect, Union minister of science and technology Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday as he inaugurated the ninth edition of the India International Science Festival (IISF) in Faridabad, Haryana.
“We are celebrating the ninth edition of the IISF, and it is happening in the backdrop of some major scientific achievements,” the Union minister said.
“First, we landed Chandrayaan-3 near the south pole of the Moon, a feat that has not been achieved by any country in the world, then we made an identity in developing and administering COVID-19 vaccines to such a large population and we have also successfully achieved the Aroma Mission, benefitting thousands of farmers,” Singh said.
The IISF four-day-long festival kickstarted at the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI)-Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB) joint campus in Faridabad.
The ninth edition of the festival will celebrate the achievements of various Indian scientific institutions around the theme – ‘science and technology public outreach in Amrit Kaal.’
Singh said that over the last few years, the government has solidified scientific policies and infrastructure by approving the National Quantum Mission, Anusandhan National Research Foundation, Space policy etc.
“Our government has made some revolutionary decisions over the last few years– the space reforms through the public-private partnerships, National Quantum Mission, Anusandhan-National Research Foundation (NRF), National Geospatial Policy, and National Education Policy (NEP),” he said.
Along with Singh, the inauguration was also attended by Haryana cabinet minister Moolchand Sharma; principal scientific advisor Ajay Sood; secretary, department of science and technology, Abhay Karandikar; secretary, department of biotechnology, Rajesh Gokhale; secretary, ministry of earth sciences, M Ravichandran; secretary, department of scientific and industrial research and director general council of scientific and industrial research, N Kalaiselvi.
