IISF to focus on Science for the Masses: Dr. Harsh Vardhan
- 5000 young Scientists to attend the fest.
- Emphasis will be on creating science village
- Fest will focus on PM Modi’s cashless society initiative
In order to pitch up the grand 2nd India International Science Festival -2016, which will be going to be held on 07-11, Dec- 2016, at CSIR –National Physical Laboratory (NPL) campus-New Delhi, the Hon’ble Union Minister of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Dr Harsh Vardhan addressed a press conference at CSIR Science Centre, Vigyan Kendra, Lodi Garden, New Delhi on 2ndDecember, 2016.
The fest will be inaugurated by Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh on 8thDecember. Israel minister for Science, Technology and Space Ofir Akunis will also visit the fest on 8th December.
Emphasizing the importance of taking science into rural India, the Hon’ble Minister said “The Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Earth Sciences has been organising India International Science Festival (IISF) in association with VijnanaBharati (VIBHA) to promote the science & technology developed by the Indian research labs and to inculcate the scientific temper among masses. The theme of this year’s festival is “Science for the Masses”.
The budget of the festival has been increased to Rs 12 cr this year compared to last year’s Rs 4 cr.
Addressing the media, the first time cabinet minister said, “We are a government that believes and supports in scientific research, including an appropriate balance between fundamental research to support new discoveries and the commercialization of ideas, will lead to provide an ample employment opportunities for India’s sustainable economic growth”.
India has declared 2010-20 as the “Decade of Innovation”. In this context, the series of India International Science Festival (IISF) is an integral part of India’s long term vision in developing and widening the spectrum of scientific temper in India and abroad’ the Minister said.
The minister also said around 5,000 young scientists will participate which is a first of its own kind in the world. He even said, the ministry has urged all the Members of Parliament to make sure, that five students should participate from their adopted villages to participate in the fest. The minister named it Science Village. “This is the first time in the history of India, the Hon’ble Members of the Parliament across the party line sending more than 3000 young children from their adopted villages to the science festival Dr Harsh Vardhan stated.
The Minister viewed that, the grand success of first IISF-2015 at IIT Delhi has set a unique example of inimitable festival in bridging the gap between Indian scientific innovations and practises. “Continuing with the same enthusiasm, motivation and desire, the second edition of IISF is primarily aimed to popularize the subject of science and also pool all the scientific knowledge for the larger benefit of the rural masses he stated.
Underlining the record number of total participants in the Young Scientists Meet the Minister stated that, “this year the total figure of abstracts for Young Scientists Meet (YSM) that we have received is 1769. After reviewing by the expert committee for the final presentations the total number is 241 for the oral presentation and 1329 for the poster presentations. Among all the papers this year, Talking Book and Agroboat-device to predict weather condition through smartphone for farmers, the wearable demon slayer for security of women, Mechanical Tap to treat sewage water, Solar marine monitor device for defense forces,extraction of diesel from the fruits waste are some of the highlights for the upcoming meet, the minister stated.
Last year, dressed in white lab-coats, 2,000 students across the National capital have entered Guinness Book for World Records for conducting the ‘world’s largest practical science lesson, which will be challenged this year during the fest.
Adding further flavour to the event the minister stated that “the Industry –academia interactionwhere the industries get opportunities to develop competitive manufacturing capabilities and improve their services through collaborating with the academia, further inthe international science film festival segment, the nationally and internationally award winning films on various facets of science would be screened in this science festival.‘We are also having competition for the Professional and students who are making films on Science” he added.
In conclusion, the minister said that “the five day India international science festival would defiantly open up new avenues for scientific research and laying a solid foundation in fulfilling the long-term mission of the taking the science into the masses.
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