A mega event on ‘Science & Technology Intervention for the Tribal Welfare’ was held on Feb. 24-25, 2020 at ILS, Bhubaneswar. Around 300 participants from all across the country representing 23 Tribal Welfare Centres established by NASI HQ under the DST’s Tribal Sub Plan Support attended the event. A total of 17 stalls showcasing the exhibits/ tribal products were displayed/ organized during the event, which were visited by more than 1000 students, teachers and tribal participants including the project implementers. The programme was attended by the Hon’ble State Minister for Tribal Welfare; and Food & Technology, Govt. of Odisha. Sri Navaljit Kapoor, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Govt. of India, also graced the occasion and addressed the audience in the Technical Session. Several dignitaries, viz. Prof. Partha Pratim Majumder, Prof. Manju Sharma, Prof. J P Khurana and others participated in the programme. A brief report of activities/ projects held under the ‘Scheduled Tribes Welfare Programme’ of NASI is enclosed as Annexure-I.
(Highlights: The problems of the tribes were addressed; stalls owcasing the exhibits/ tribal products were visited and much appreciated by the participants.)
National Science Day
The National Science Day was celebrated on February 28-29, 2020 at NASI HQ, Prayagraj. The programme commenced with the Welcome Address by Shri A K Srivastava, Dy. ES, NASI on February 28, 2020. Dr. Mohd. Masood, Scientific Advisor, IASc briefed the audience about the programme and the related events.Prof. Ravindra Dhar, Centre of Materials Sciences, Institute of Interdisciplinary Sciences, University of Allahabad introduced Prof. K A Suresh, Honorary Professor, Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences, Bengaluru, the Chief Guest on the occasion, who delivered the Inaugural Address. Prof. S L Srivastava,Formerly Professor & Head, Department of Physics, University of Allahabad; and Coordinator, Science Communication Programme of NASI delivered the Presidential Remarks. In the Technical Session, the scientific presentations on ‘Novel Technologies for water harvesting’ were made by the female students.
The Valedictory Session commenced with the Welcome Address by Shri A K Srivastava on February 29, 2020. Prof. U C Srivastava, Emeritus Professor, Department of Zoology, University of Allahabad; and Coordinator, Science Communication Programme of NASI, introduced the Chief Guest, Prof. Ishan Patro, Vice-Chancellor, Ravenshaw University, Cuttack, who delivered the Valedictory Address. Shri Pramod Parashar, the teacher awardee who delivered a lecture on this occasion was felicitated by Prof. Patro. About 200 students, teachers and other distinguished guests from various educational institutions of Prayagraj attended the programme. Mr. Pramod Kumar, Hathras was conferred upon the NASI-Science Teachers’ Award. Dr. Niraj Kumar, Executive Secretary, NASI, other Executives and staff were also present on the occasion. The entire programme was conducted by Shri BP Singh, AES, NASI, who also proposed the vote of thanks.
(Highlights: Science Teacher Award and National Level Scientific Paper Writing)
L-R: The winners of the scientific events with the delegates; Prof. S L Srivastava felicitating Prof. Ishan Patro; Prof. K A Suresh, Dr. Sanjay Srivastava, Dr. Mohd. Masood are also seen on the dais
The participants with the dignitaries and NASI Executives
Workshop on ‘Trends in healthcare innovations in India’ held by NASI & ICMR at Mumbai
A workshop on ‘Trends in healthcare innovations in India’ was conducted on February 29 – March 1, 2020 at the newly inaugurated Smt. Shanta Rao Auditorium of ICMR-National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health (NIRRH) at Mumbai. This was an ICMR-NASI initiative in association with NASI Mumbai Chapter. The aim of the workshop was to disseminate awareness and knowledge among the students and teachers on innovations from Indian laboratories that are changing the scenario of healthcare in the country as well as globally. More than 200 participants including 149 M.Sc. and Ph.D. students, 40 medical students, teachers and research scientists from various institutes of Mumbai, viz. ICMR-NIRRH, GS Medical College, Lokmanya Tilak Medical College, MGM Institute for Health Science Navi Mumbai, RD National College, Jai Hind College, Wilson College, School of Science NMIMS, Viva College, GN Khalsa College, Bhartiya Vidhyapeeth, Jhunjhunwala College, Institute of Chemical Technology and Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay attended the workshop.
The event commenced with the Welcome Address by Dr. Smita Mahale, the Convener of the workshop while Dr. Deepak Modi, the Organizing Secretary, presented the theme and the purpose of the workshop.
The Inaugural Address was delivered by Padma Shri Dr. Raman Gangakhedkar, Scientist ‘G’ and Head, Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases-I Division, ICMR, who stressed on the relevance of grass root level work leading to innovations and also mentioned about the steps taken by the government and ICMR for control of Zika and Nipha pandemics
in India and now the COVID-19 control programme. The event also included two Award Lectures as well as Poster Presentations.
Dr. Nilima Kshirsagar delivered the NASI-Prof. (Mrs.) Archana Sharma Memorial Award Lecture (2018) and Dr. Subeer Majumdar delivered the NASI-Prof. U.S. Srivastava Memorial Lecture Award (2019). Dr. Kshirsagar spoke on the process of innovation and explicated on the development of malaria therapeutics and liposomal preparation for amphotericin while Dr. Majumdar elaborated on molecular players in spermatogenesis and role of these discoveries in devising novel therapeutics for male infertility.
The programme also witnessed six sessions on various themes related to public health, entrepreneurship and innovations from bench to bedside; and the Poster Session having presentations on different aspects of healthcare innovations, viz. diagnostic tools on vaginal infections, device from sperm motility testing, stem cells and fertility preservation on development of diagnostic markers for prostate cancer.
The sessions were chaired by various NASI fellows including Dr. Smita Mahale, Dr. Kiran Katoch, Dr. Ritu Trivedi and Dr. Nilima Kshirsagar and Dr. Nafisa Balasinor. In the Valedictory Session, Dr. Santosh Shukla, AES, NASI read the messages received from Prof. G Padmanabhan, President, NASI, and Prof. Manju Sharma, the Past President of NASI.
(Highlights: Experts focused on technology innovation trends in healthcare sector.)
Glimpses of the workshop on ‘Trends in healthcare innovations in ndia’
Workshop on ‘Laser, Fibre Optics and Optical Communications, Fibre Sensors’ organized by the Indian Women Scientists’ Association (IWSA) at Navi Mumbai
The Academy organized a workshop on ‘Laser, Fibre Optics and Optical Communications, Fibre Sensors’ in joint collaboration with Mumbai Chapter. The event was organized by the Indian Women Scientists’ Association (IWSA) on March 6-7, 2020 at IWSA premises in Vashi, Navi Mumbai.
Dr. Lalitha Dhareshwar, distributing certificate in the workshop
- Activities during the lockdown period (March 2020); and joint statement of three Science Academies on the COVID-19 Pandemic
- The NASI President/some of the Council Members and employees contributed to the PM CARE Fund. About Rs. 3 lacs have been deposited so far. This was in addition to su moto contributions made by NASI Fellows/Members for this noble cause. The employees also facilitated the social workers and teachers at Prayagraj to get eatables and other essential items distributed among the labours and poor families.
- Online Workshops’, in joint collaboration with several institutions (phy.hcverma.in; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e51mp-gA9ms&t=76s; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaS60NtZaDE; www.indianparasitologists.blogspot.com
- The three National Science Academies jointly issued a Statement to show solidarity with the Government on the steps taken to contain the Corona virus infection. Many fellows expressed their views and endorsed the statement and govt. initiatives/steps taken in this direction. A copy of the joint statement is given below-