The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) recently celebrated its 75th year of existence with a year-long Platinum Jubilee celebration, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is also the President of CSIR. The Prime Minister reminisced about CSIR’s pioneering inventions and held an interactive session with farmers from various parts of the country, where he launched improved varieties of medicinal and aromatic plants, developed by various labs of CSIR which would help in transforming the rural economy by enhancing the income of farmers.
Building and Nurturing Nation’s Scientific & Technological Prowess
The Prime Minister hailed CSIR’s role in building and nurturing the nation’s scientific & technological prowess, saying that starting with the indelible ink which is the hallmark of India’s democratic fabric, CSIR has left an indelible mark on every sphere of life. He urged CSIR to create an ‘Ease of doing Technology Business’ platform to bring in the right stakeholders so technologies reach beneficiaries.
The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is a catalyst and driver of sustainable socio-economic change through the application of science and technology. CSIR has commercialized several technologies for the society and industry in the areas of food and agriculture, generic drugs, leather, chemicals and petrochemicals, biopharmaceuticals, and materials.
CSIR’s Global Positioning as a Front Rank R&D System
CSIR is recognized to be among the International leaders in knowledge creation. CSIR has been ranked 12th in the world amongst the government institutions in the world according to the prestigious Scimago Institutions Rankings 2016 Report.
CSIR is granted 90% of the US patents granted to any Indian publicly funded R&D organization. The scientific staff of CSIR though constitutes only about 3-4% of India’s scientific manpower but it has an overwhelming contribution amounting to 9.6% of India’s scientific outputs.
Key Achievements of CSIR
Some key achievements of the CSIR maturing during 2016 include:
Strategic Sector
Drishti Systems at Main Runway 28-10 of IGI Airport: Drishti transmissometer, a visibility measuring system provides information to pilots on visibility for safe landing and take-off operations and is suitable for all airport categories.
27 Systems installed in 10 major Indian airports across the country, in collaboration with IMD. Tata Power SED has signed Memorandum of Agreement with Tata Power SED for the supply of 54 Drishti Systems for installation in Indian Air Force Airfields; 22 units have been delivered out of which three have been installed.
Head-Up-Display (HUD) In high-tech areas, CSIR-NAL made significant contribution by developing indigenous Head-Up- display(HUD) for Indian Light Combat Aircraft, Tejas. HUD aids the pilot in flying the aircraft and in critical flight maneuvers including weapon aiming.
Design and Development of Indigenous Gyrotron: Addressing the strategic needs of the country, CSIR-CEERI developed and designed an indigenous Gyrotron for the first time in India. Gyrotron is a high-power microwave source for diverse applications in material processing, nuclear fusion and homeland security.
Supporting National Goals and Missions
CSIR is addressing national goals and Missions such as Swachh Bharat, Swastha Bharat, Samarth Bharat, Make in India, Innovate for India, Start-up India, Skill India etc. Today, CSIR is attempting a Parivartan from Knowledge creation to Value creation.
These include emphasis on technology development and commercialization for the society, industry and the strategic sector, creation of S&T based entrepreneurship and participation in the national Skill Development initiative in addition to human resource development.
Synopsis
The CSIR’s 75th year of existence is a milestone and an opportunity to reflect on its achievements and contributions towards building and nurturing the nation’s scientific & technological prowess. With a focus on technology development and commercialization, CSIR is working towards addressing national goals and missions, and creating value for society and industry. The Prime Minister’s emphasis on creating an ‘Ease of doing Technology Business’ platform will only further enable CSIR to reach its goals and continue to drive sustainable socio-economic change through the application of science and technology. As CSIR enters its 76th year, it is poised to make even greater contributions to the nation and society.
