Report
On
Initiatives by the National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI)
during the Pandemic era of COVID-19
Submitted by
The National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI)
(The oldest Science Academy of India; financially supported as a professional body by the DST; and recognized as SIRO by the DSIR, GoI)
Summary of the events organized by the National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI) during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Sept. – Dec. 2020
The National Academy of Science India (NASI) is the oldest Science Academy established in 1930 by a very eminent Scientist – Prof. Meghnad Saha. The mandate given to the academy by his founder is Science and Society.
Several Programmes of S&T Interventions have been organized by NASI all over the country for reaching every strata of the Society.
As soon as the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji, launched Poshan Mah in September 2020 and Jagrukta Abhiyan(Awareness Programme) for COVID-19, NASI Immediately launched a series of webinars on the two subjects as per the directive of Hon’ble Prime Minister.
Commemoration of the POSHAN Mah
Seven programmes initiated in – Lucknow, Dehradun and three in New Delhi; one in collaboration with INSA and One programme in Mahendragarh, Haryana.
Jagrukta Abhiyan for COVID-19 Pandemic
- Nine Programms have been organized in different regions of the country:- Praygraj, Kolkata(2), Mumbai(2-One International), Dehradun, Manipur, Shilong (Meghalya), Jaipur(Rajasthan).
- In each programme very eminent Scientists, Public health workers and Doctors from Universities, Medical colleges and Research Institutions have participated. They talked about research, development of drugs, therapeutics, Vaccines and Masks. Large number of Students, Scientists and Academicians participated and joined the Webinar. They appreciated each and every lecture. The webinars had very stimulating interactive sessions and the queries of the students were responded by the experts.
- The programmes for the month of December, 2020 have been planned.
- This effort of NASI will continue in 2021 also.
- One prominent feature is that two long term programmes, one by HESCO Dehradun and the other by BHU Varanasi have been launched for combating the malnutrition amongst children and women, especially for the tribal population. BHU, Varanasi has selected three villages- 1. Jayapura (adopted village of our PM), 2.Bhawanipur and 3.Paniyara village of Varanasi District adopted by the Hon’ble Prime Minister. Two more institutions are being identified, one in Tirupati and one in Chennai or Odisha.
(Manju Sharma)
Initiatives by the National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI)
during the Pandemic era of COVID-19
A Report
Prologue:
The National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI), the oldest Science Academy of this country established (in 1930) by Prof. Meghnad Saha, a very renowned scientist, visionary and a social reformer, has a mandate ‘Science & Society’. Withits meager resources and man power it has been implementing several scientific programmes on popularization of science, awareness and capacity-building and other areas of national relevance for urban as well as the rural masses since its inception.
The prime focus is on women, children and ST/tribal population who need most attention in terms of health, education and employment. Therefore, NASI has initiated many programmes for improving their socio-economic and health status nationwide. Programmes on Science Communication (30 years ago), as well as Technological Empowerment of Women (by organizing 32 events all across the country) and for Tribal Welfare (by implementing several projects in different regions of the country and establishing 23 Tribal Welfare Centres under the DST’s Tribal Sub Plan Support), have shown significant impact. Dr. (Mrs.) Manju Sharma, Chairperson, NASI-New Initiatives has been guiding these activities; Prof. G. Padmanaban, President NASI has participated in all and has been extremely supportive of the efforts.
As desired by Hon’ble Minister S&T, Dr. Harsh Vardhan Ji, a MEGA EVENT on ‘Technological Empowerment of Women’ was organized on March 8-9, 2018 to commemorate the International Women’s Day. Very eminent Scientists and Technologists from India and abroad participated.
All the programmes are well received and appreciated by the masses including the students, research scholars, young women scientists, rural and tribal women and entrepreneurs all across the country and the Academy has collaborated with other Science Academies, Govt. Departments/Agencies for further implementation of its initiatives.
The Genesis:
During the pandemic of COVID-19 and consequently, the nationwide lockdown in the country, NASI implemented two major nationwide programmes as announced by Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji:
- ‘POSHAN’ – A focus on children and their education, immunity against COVID-19 to observe the month of September, 2020 as POSHAN MAH or Nutrition Month.
- ‘An Awareness Campaign for COVID-19 Pandemic’ as launched in PM’s Address to Nation on 20th October, 2020 for the COVID Appropriate Behaviour to prevent the spread of the disease,sensitize and educate the society on this pertinent issue.
Our Hon’ble Prime Minister in his address to the nation said, “It’s time to make nutrition a people’s movement”.
Our Prime Minister has also recently in his address to the nation on October 20th gave a call to start a Jagrukta Abhiyhan COVID-19 – Jan Andolan with the key messages, viz. ‘wear mask’, ‘follow physical distancing’ and ‘maintain hand hygiene’.
NASI has made an endeavour towards propagating these messages through a series of webinars in different regions of the country for the effective outreach of programmes to prevent the spread of disease.
The Implementation:
Commemorating the POSHAN MAH
- POSHAN Programme: A focus on children and their education, immunity against COVID-19
NASI has addressed the problem of malnutrition several times; and also successfully executed Projects at Allahabad (U.P.), Hyderabad (Telangana State) and Vadodara (Gujarat) to combat such problem among women and children in joint collaboration with NIN-ICMR, Hyderabad.
Following the call by Hon’ble PM, NASI initiated a nationwide awareness programme on POSHAN as part of its Science & Society endeavour (in the month of September, 2020) to educate the masses, the students in particular on the role and importance of nutrition, especially during the times of the pandemic. It started with the help of Dr. Manju Sharma, and several fellows of the Academy.
NASI started a series of webinars and successfully organized a few events in joint collaboration with other institutions/ centres of excellence to commemorate the Poshan Mah and addressed the problem of malnutrition in India as well as the role of nutrition in enhancing one’s immune function, especially in the fight against the pandemic.
The events were addressed by many distinguished scientists from all across the country who shared their expertise to enlighten the masses, especially the
students to cope with the problems during the pandemic. Several faculty members, researchers, women, college and school students enthusiastically participated in the events and also interacted with the speakers.
The speakers shared their views on the subjects including role of nutrition in enhancing immunity, approaches for combating dietary M-N deficiency/ hidden hunger, bio-fortification, promoting urban agriculture/ home gardens, challenges of food security including educating the community, nutritional challenges of the economically weaker sections, role of wild and medicinal plants in nutritional security of the unprivileged during pandemic, plant-based nutrition during the pandemic, holistic approach for a healthy well-being in times of COVID-19 pandemic in India’, local food and nutrition, research preparedness for COVID-19/future direction etc.
Seven webinars were organized in different part of the country.
Major Recommendations:
The following recommendations emerged from the aforementioned events (programmes enclosed):
- Some good modules on nutrition like ICDS need to be developed.
- Documentary film/ CD on local language revealing the need and importance of local/ medicinal plants and other nutritional aspects to be prepared and displayed for spreading awareness, especially for rural/tribal women and children and comprising training and awareness modules to be developed for display/ dissemination in rural areas.
- Plant-based (fortified/ value added) products need to be endorsed as these could be a good source to combat malnutrition, especially for the rural, pregnant and lactating women.
- Small Home Gardens in the families including green vegetables (e.g. spinach, carrots, tomatoes etc.) rich in MN should be promoted. Nutrition gardens to be established in villages especially near Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs).
- Education is the key to awareness. NASI is trying to reach every strata of society through its nationwide campaigns/ awareness programmes including the programmes for the welfare of scheduled tribes; therefore, the tribal women (pregnant and lactating women) need to be made more aware on nutritional aspects.
- One section of scientists of NIPGR may take up awareness programmes, relevant to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Campaign on ‘COVID-19 Appropriate Behaviour – Jagrukta Abhiyan’ by NASI
The NASI HQ launched nationwide programmes for spreading awareness on COVID Appropriate Behaviour as part of its Science & Society endeavour through a webinar held on Oct 31, 2020, Chaired by Prof. (Mrs.) Manju Sharma, Chairperson, NASI New initiatives and presided over by Prof. G. Padmanaban, President NASI.
Several distinguished fellows, members and the local Chapters of NASI as well as students from the research institutes ardently participated in the events. The experts addressed related issues on the pandemic and suggested ways to cope with the problem in the most effective/persuasive manner.
The event was inaugurated by Prof. Balram Bhargava, Director General, ICMR; & Secretary, DHR, Govt. of India. Prof. Bhargava in his Inaugural Address referred to the earlier pandemics viz. SARS, MERS, Ebola Virus diseases etc. stating that COVID-19 is getting more complex due to ecological change, population and frequent travel by the community. He portrayed some statistics on the number of cases, testing and mortality in India; and also mentioned about setting up of more laboratories in India; augmented plan to fast track testing-ICMR is testing 12 lacs cases per day (as on Oct 30, 2020) with emphasis on isolation and tracking of COVID cases. He also mentioned about COVID KAWACH ‘ELISA’ the India’s first indigenous antibody testing kit, developed by The National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, to combat COVID-19. Prof. Bhargava further elucidated ICMR’s efforts in vaccine development with reference to ICMR and BHARAT biotech-development of COVAXIN; and also referred to some studies regarding testing of the virus and development of vaccine/drugs. Methodology adopted for the Sero-survey, conducted by ICMR was also explained with the reference to the emergence of reinfection of the disease in India.
Prof. G Padmanaban, Hon’ble President, NASI; Former Director, IISc, Bangalore,in his Presidential Address, appreciated NASI’s endeavour to spread awareness on such important issues of national relevance and pursuing its mandate the prolific way. While underlining the three key components/ messages of Jan Andolan, viz. mask wearing, maintaining physical distancing and self-hygiene, he divulged the rigidity of attitude/ mindset of the Indian society with ingrained beliefs, traditions and social norms towards adoption of preventive measures/ COVID-19 Appropriate Behaviour. He further referred to the 174 studies carried out on SARS, MERS and COVID viruses and stressed on reinforcing the relevance of such behavioural practices and the right information in containment of the infection.
Nine webinars have been organized on the above subject as enclosed.
A total numbers of 20,000 participants including students, scientists and other academicians attended the events and benefitted. Some photographs are also enclosed. NASI has planned many more events for 2021.
Enclosures
EVENTS/ WEBINARS
ON
‘POSHAN’ PROGRAMME
Webinar on ‘Nutrition in the times of pandemic’
jointly organized by NASI & INSA
Date: September 22, 2020
Programme
Opening Remarks (10:00 am) : Dr. Shelley Praveen (Convener)
Head, Division of Biochemistry,
Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi
Brief remarks (10:05 am) : Prof. (Mrs.) Manju Sharma (Chair)
Former Secretary to the Govt. of India
Department of Biotechnology, New Delhi
Distinguished Women Scientist Chair, NASI, Allahabad
Brief remarks (10:10 am) : Dr. Chandrima Shaha
President, Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi
Professor of Eminence; & Former Director,
National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi
Key-note address (10:20 am): Dr. Mahtab Bamji
INSA Emeritus, Scientist
Dangoria Charitable Trust, Hyderabad
Title: COVID 19, a new whammy to add to the country’s resistant burden of malnutrition
Lecture-1(10:45 am) : Meeting Nutritional Challenges of the EWS
Speaker : Prof. Paramjit Khurana
Head, Department of Plant Molecular Biology,
University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi;
General Secretary (OS), NASI
11:10 am: 10 minutes break
Lecture- 2(11:20 am) : Role of plants in nutritional security of the
underprivileged during COVID-19 pandemic
Speaker : Prof. Madhoolika Agrawal
Department of Botany, BHU, Varanasi
Lecture- 3(11:45 am) : Plant-based nutrition during pandemic
Speaker : Prof. Akhilesh Tyagi
Past President, NASI; Formerly Director, NIPGR;
Department of Plant Molecular Biology,
University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi
Lecture-4 (12:15 pm) : Holistic approach for a healthy well-being in times of
COVID-19 epidemic in India
Speaker : Dr. Namrata Singh
Dietitian, Department of Gastroenterology & Human Nutrition,
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi
Summary by the Chair
Vote of thanks : Prof. Ajoy Ghatak
MN Saha Distinguished Chair Professor, NASI
Formerly Professor at IIT, Delhi Chairman, NASI Delhi Chapter
YouTube link for live streaming
NASI-HESCO Webinar
Kuposhan Mukt Bharat : A collective Effort
September 30, 2020
September 30, 2020
| TIME | Program | Name |
| 11:00 AM | Welcome Address/About Webinar | Dr Rakesh Kumar,Senior Scentist,HESCO |
| 11:15 | About NASI’s Scheme on Nutrition | NASI representative |
| 11:30 AM | Inaugural Address | Padam Bhushan, Padam shree Dr Anil P Joshi, Environmentalist, Founder HESCO |
| 11:45 AM | Local food and Nutrition | Dr. Neelima Bhatt, Executive coordinator,AMAN Organisation, Almora |
| 12:10 PM | Malnutrition in Uttarakhand | Jagdamba Prasad, Aagas Federation |
| 12:20PM | Nutrition and wild fruits | Dr. Manju Sundriyal, Scientist,USERC,Uttarakhand |
| 12:30PM | Gender and Nutrition | Dr. Kusum Ghildiyal, Secretary,SEED organisation |
| 12:40 | Malnutrition and Government Schemes | Dr.Yashoda, ICDS |
| 12:50 PM | Water and Malnutrition | Dr. Bhautosh Sharma,Scientist,USERC,Uttarakhand |
| 01:00 PM | Vote of Thanks | Dr. Kiran Negi, HESCO |
Webinar on ‘Nutrition: A weapon to combat COVID-19’
(jointly organized by NASI & NIPGR)
Date: October 01, 2020
Time: 10:30 am-1:00 pm
Programme
Welcome Address : Dr. Subhra Chakraborty (Coordinator)
Director, NIPGR, New Delhi
Inaugural Address : Prof. G Padmanabhan
Hon’ble President, NASI
Presidential Address : Prof. (Mrs.) Manju Sharma (Chair)
Former Secretary to the Govt. of India
Department of Biotechnology, New Delhi
Distinguished Women Scientist Chair, NASI
Keynote Address : Dr. Renu Swarup
Secretary, Department of Biotechnology,
New Delhi
Lecture-1 : Meeting Nutritional Challenges for a Healthy Lifestyle
Speaker : Prof. Paramjit Khurana
Head, Department of Plant Molecular Biology,
University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi;
General Secretary (OS), NASI
Lecture- 2 : What is Healthy Nutrition and its Effect on Immunity?
Speaker : Prof. Pramod Garg
Department of Gastro Enterology, AIIMS, New Delhi
Summary by the Chair
Vote of thanks : Dr. Naveen Bisht
Scientist, NIPGR, New Delhi
Webinar on ‘Bioresources for combating COVID-19’
(jointly organized by NASI & NASI Lucknow Chapter under NASI New Initiatives)
Date: October 16, 2020
Time: 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
Welcome Address Prof. Pramod Tandon
CEO, Biotech Park, Lucknow;
Chairman, NASI Lucknow Chapter
About NASI’s Ms Archna Pant
POSHAN Programmes Young Woman Scientist, NASI
Role of Local Chapters Dr. Suchitra Banerjee (Coordinator)
with reference to NASI Senior Scientist, CSIR – CIMAP, Lucknow;
Luchnow Chapter Secretary, NASI Lucknow Chapter
Opening Remarks Prof. (Mrs.) Manju Sharma
Former Secretary to the Govt. of India
Department of Biotechnology, New Delhi;
Chairperson, NASI New Initiatives
Inaugural address Prof. G. Padmanaban
Hon’ble President, NASI;
Former Director, IISc, Bangalore
Lecture Session Prof. Veena Tandon
Presided over by NASI Senior Scientist, Biotech Park, Lucknow
Lecture: 1 Ashwagandha-Human Health and Covid19
Speaker Prof. Madhu Dikshit
National Chair – THISTI, Faridabad;
Former Director, CSIR – CDRI, Lucknow
Lecture: 2 Potential of essential oils and plant ingredients in
preventing the spread of COVID – 19
Speaker Prof. Anil Kumar Tripathi
Director, Institute of Science, BHU, Varanasi;
Former Director, CSIR – CIMAP, Lucknow
Lecture : 3 Musculoskeletal health in the times of COVID
Speaker Dr. Ritu Trivedi
Principal Scientist,
CSIR – Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow
Summing up Prof. Paramjit Khurana
Head, Department of Plant Molecular Biology,
University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi;
General Secretary (OS), NASI
Vote of Thanks Dr. Niraj Kumar
Executive Secretary, NASI
EVENTS/ WEBINARS
ON
JAGRUKTA ABHIYAN
-A CAMPAIGN ON ‘COVID-19 APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR’ BY NASI
The National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI)
cordially invites you to kindly attend a
WEBINAR
on the occasion of
Chairperson: Prof. (Mrs.) Manju Sharma, Past President, NASI
Inaugural Address: Prof. Balram Bhargava, Secretary, ICMR, Govt. of India
Presidential Address: Prof. G Padmanaban, Hon’ble President, NASI
LAUNCH OF JAGRUKTA ABHIYAN FOR COVID-19 PANDEMIC
by NASI HQ under NASI New Initiatives
Date: October 31, 2020
Time: 11:30 am to 1:30 pm
PROGRAMME
Welcome Address Prof. (Mrs.) Manju Sharma
Former Secretary to the Govt. of India
Department of Biotechnology, New Delhi;
Chairperson, NASI New Initiatives
Inaugural address Prof. Balram Bhargava
Director General, ICMR;
& Secretary, DHR, Govt. of India
Title COVID-19 Pandemic
Opening Remarks Prof. Ajoy Ghatak
MN Saha Distinguished Chair Professor, NASI
Formerly Professor at IIT, Delhi
Chairman, NASI Delhi Chapter
Title Distance Learning: A Great Concept Used during COVID- 19
Presidential address Prof. G. Padmanaban
Hon’ble President, NASI;
Former Director, IISc, Bangalore
Speaker-1 Dr. V.M. Katoch
NASI-ICMR Chair on Public Health Research at RUHS, Jaipur;
Former DG, ICMR; & Secretary, DHR, Govt. of India
Title COVID-19 Pandemic: Opportunity for Socio Behavioural
transformation
Speaker-2 Dr. Sanjeev Sinha
Department of Medicine
AIIMS, New Delhi
Title COVID-19 Management
Speaker-3 Prof. H.N. Verma
Vice Chancellor, JNU Jaipur;
Chairman, NASI Jaipur Chapter
Title COVID-19 Pandemic – Some Facts
Speaker-4 Dr. Ashish Tandon
Senior Medical Doctor (Chest Specialist)
Prayagraj
Title Preventions and Precautions in COVID-19
Vote of Thanks Dr. Niraj Kumar
Executive Secretary,
The National Academy of Sciences, India, Prayagraj
Webinar on
Science & Technology based solution to combat the Covid-19 Pandemic
Jagrukta Abhiyan
Jointly organized by
NASI , NASI Uttarakhand Chapter & UCOST
Date: 5th December 2020
| Time | Lecture Topic | Name of the Expert/ Resource Person |
| 11:00 AM – 11:15 AM | Welcome Address & About The Chapter | Dr Rajendra Dobhal Director General, UCOST & Secretary, NASI UK Chapter |
| 11:15 AM – 11:30 AM | About NASI’s POSHAN Program | Ms Archana Pant Young Women Scientist NASI |
| 11:30 AM – 11:45 AM | Opening Remarks | Prof (Dr) Manju Sharma Former Secretary to Govt of India Dept. of Biotechnology, New Delhi Chairperson, NASI New Initiatives |
| 11:45 AM – 12:25 PM | Inaugural Address | Prof G Padmanaban Hon’ble President, NASI Former Director, IISc Banglore |
| LECTURE SESSION | ||
| 12:25 PM – 12:30 PM | Lecture Session Presided by | Dr Kalachand Sain Director Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun |
| Lecture Session Co-Presided by | Dr G S Rawat Former Director Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun | |
| 12:30 PM – 12:50 PM | Special Address Space Observations on Air Quality during COVID 19 induced Anthropause | Dr Prakash Chauhan Director Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun |
| 12:50 PM – 01:10 PM | Nutrition Related to COVID 19 | Prof U C Srivastav Formerly Emeritus Professor, University of Allahabad, Prayagraj & NASI, Prayagraj Chapter |
| 01:10 PM – 01:30 PM | Role of public health interventions in managing COVID-19 | Dr Ranjeeta Kumari Associate Professor Department of Community and Family Medicine, AIIMS, Rishikesh |
| 01:30 PM – 01:50 PM | Bio-informatics approach for the identification of novel compound against SARS-COV-2 | Dr M A RamaKrishnan Principal Scientist ICAR- Indian Veterinary Research Institute Bangalore |
| 01:50 PM – 02:10 PM | Preventive measures for Covid 19 | Dr M S Pant Doon Medical College, Dehradun |
| 02:10 PM – 02:30 PM | Summing Up | Dr B.R Arora Former Director Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology |
| 02:30 PM – 02:35 PM | Vote of Thanks | Dr Niraj Kumar Executive Secretary The National Academy of Science (India), Prayagraj |
| Program Coordination By Dr D.P Uniyal, Joint Director & Coordinator, NASI UK Chapter |
JAGRUKTA ABHIYAN FOR COVID-19 PANDEMIC
by NASI NER CHAPTER under NASI New Initiatives
Date: December 15, 2020
Time: 11:00 am to 1:30 pm
PROGRAMME
Welcome Address Prof. Anupam Chatterjee
Chairman, NASI NER Chapter
Opening Remarks Prof. (Mrs.) Manju Sharma
Former Secretary to the Govt. of India
Department of Biotechnology, New Delhi;
Chairperson, NASI New Initiatives
Inaugural address Prof. G. Padmanaban
Hon’ble President, NASI,
Former Director, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
Speaker-1 Dr. Pramod Garg , AIIMS, New Delhi
Moderator Dr Niraj Nischal, AIIMS, New Delhi
Title An overview on COVID-19
Speaker-2 Dr. A.C. Phukan, Dean, Academics
North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health
and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), Shillong
Title COVID-19 Pandemic: Northeast India Perspective
Speaker-3 Prof. H.N. Verma,
Vice-Chancellor, JNU, Jaipur
Title Coronavirus: The student`s need to know
Gen Secy remarks Prof. Paramjit Khurana
JC Bose National Fellow
Department of Plant Molecular Biology,
University of Delhi
NASI’s Efforts Dr. Niraj Kumar
Executive Secretary,
The National Academy of Sciences, India, Prayagraj
Closing remarks Prof. (Mrs.) Manju Sharma
Chairperson, NASI New Initiatives
Vote of thanks Prof. S.R. Joshi
Secretary, NASI NER Chapter
Glimpses of the events
