NEED TO MAKE PEOPLE CENTRE OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH: DR HARSH VARDHAN

LUCKNOW: Union science and technology minister Dr Harsh Vardhan stressed on the need for ‘people centric research ‘ in his address during the 70th annual day celebration of CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) Lucknow on Wednesday.

“It is not about producing a good research paper that gets published in a renowned journal but about how that research is going to benefit the poorest of the poor in the society. How it will benefit the society and the country. This is also the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” said the minister while addressing scientists and scholars of CDRI.

Harsh Vardhan joined the event via a video link.

The minister stressed on the need to focus on making India a leader in scientific research by 2030. Citing the example of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s focus on scientific research he said that we must work on realizing his dream of Indian superiority in the field of science.

“Ever since our Independence, the scientific community with able political leadership has contributed greatly towards the development of sciences in the country. We must work to continue to take this tradition forward,” said the minister.

Dr Shekhar Mande, director general, CSIR and professor Sandeep Verma, secretary, SERB, DST, government of India was the guest of honour. He also congratulated the staff on institute’s 70th annual day.

On the occasion, ‘Atal National Colloquium on Healthcare and Innovation’, a series of lectures from highly eminent persons, to commemorate Late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s vision and support for ‘Vigyan’ and CSIR-CDRI was inaugurated by the minister.

Director CSIR-CDRI, professor Tapas Kundu inaugurated ‘Common Research and Technology Development Hub (CRTDH)’ supported jointly by CSIR online.

CSIR-CDRI transfers technology for Covid testing kit

CSIR-CDRI transferred technology of “Fluorescent Dyes and Quenchers for the development of RT-PCR based diagnostic kits and their uses in life sciences research” to Biotech Desk Pvt Ltd (BDPL), Hyderabad on the occasion.

Director, professor Tapas Kumar Kundu said, “CDRI has signed an agreement with BDPL for the technology of fluorescent dyes and quenchers for the development of indigenous qRTPCR diagnostic kit for testing COVID-19.”