The CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) celebrated a significant milestone with the inauguration of its Main Gate at its Pusa Campus on March 21st, 2024. Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Director General of CSIR and Secretary of DSIR inaugurated the ceremony.
Prof. Ranjana Aggarwal, Director of CSIR-NIScPR, delivered a welcome address, and said, “The CSIR-NIScPR has been taken up a number of initiatives in the recent times. The establishment of the Science Media Communication Cell (SMCC) was a pivotal step towards streamlining the dissemination of R&D breakthroughs across Indian labs. Creating a single window for this purpose was crucial, and SMCC has excelled in fulfilling this role. National Knowledge Resource Consortium and SVASTIK are other very promising initiatives of the institute.”
Dr. Kalaiselvi highlighted the institute’s achievements in her address. DG CSIR said, “CSIR-NIScPR is fostering connectivity among all labs, spearheading the efforts of its Science Media Communication Cell (SMCC). As a testament to its success, S&T column will now be prominently featured in the ‘Employment News’ (a popular publication of Ministry of I&B), marking a significant milestone in dissemination of science towards public especially youth. By engaging with our S&T column in the ‘Employment News’, job seekers can also become job creators in the days to come.”
Dr. Kalaiselvi added, “Utilizing a comprehensive array of tools and cutting-edge data technologies, CSIR-NIScPR is poised to develop an innovative software solutions or transformative tools, facilitating efficient communication and collaboration across scientific domains while advancing research dissemination and outreach efforts.”
Dr. Kalaiselvi further demonstrated her dedication to the institute’s initiatives by visiting the SVASTIK Exhibition and chairing the Monitoring Committee Meeting. The event underscored CSIR-NIScPR’s unwavering commitment to science communication. CSIR-NIScPR is a premier institute under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), specializing in science communication and evidence-based Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) policy research. It was established in 2021 with the merger of CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources (CSIR-NISCAIR) and CSIR- National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies (CSIR-NISTADS).
CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) hosted the monitoring committee for communicating India’s scientifically validated traditional knowledge to the society branded as SVASTIK (Scientifically Validated Societal Traditional Knowledge) on March 21st, 2024, at 3:00 pm. The meeting was chaired by Dr. (Mrs.) N. Kalaiselvi, Director General, CSIR & Secretary DSIR. Prof. Ranjana Aggarwal Director, CSIR-NIScPR, welcomed the experts and delivered her introductory remarks on SVASTIK activities. Eminent experts, including Dr. A. Raghu (Deputy Director General Health Services, Ministry of AYUSH), Dr. Subhasis Chaudhari (Director, IIT Bombay), Dr. Anita Aggarwal (Head SEED and State S&T Programme, DST), Dr. Anil Kumar (ADG, Coordination ICAR) attended the meeting.
Coordinator SVASTIK Dr. Charu Lata, gave a detailed update on SVASTIK activities and its digital footprint through her presentation. During the meeting, the second volume of the book SVASTIK Stories: Indian Traditional Knowledge through the Lens of Science, and a special issue of the Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge on Communication & Dissemination of Traditional Knowledge were also released. Members of the monitoring committee appreciated the initiatives and suggested measures for communicating and disseminating Indian traditional knowledge across various domains. The meeting ended with a vote of thanks by Dr.Paramananda Barman, Scientist, CSIR-NIScPR.
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