The two-day Innovation Festival was inaugurated on 27 February 2026 at the Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology (UCOST), Vigyan Dham. The Chief Guest, Anand Bardhan, Chief Secretary, Government of Uttarakhand, formally inaugurated the festival. Nitesh Kumar Jha, Secretary, Science & Technology, Good Governance and Information Technology, Government of Uttarakhand, graced the occasion as Guest of Honour.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Anand Bardhan emphasized that science, technology and innovation are essential parts of everyday life and encouraged students to actively engage in scientific pursuits.Shri Nitesh Kumar Jha highlighted the key activities and initiatives undertaken by the Department of Science and Technology to promote innovation and scientific temper in the state.
Prof. Durgesh Pant, Director General, Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology (UCOST), elaborated on the objectives of the Innovation Festival, stating that it aims to provide a common platform for students, startups and innovators across Uttarakhand to showcase their ideas and technological advancements.
During their visit to Vigyan Dham the dignitaries toured the Science City construction site and various facilities at UCOST, including new science Community radio station (Vigyan Vani) for developing scientific tamper in society, Biodiversity Park, hydroponic setup, water lab, knowledge management center, Intellectual property rights cell, Science education research wing and other key infrastructure and sections.An exhibition on Science, Technology and Innovation was also inaugurated on the occasion, where innovative projects and startups displayed their work.The first panel discussion was held on the theme “Women in Science and Innovation: Inspiring the Next Generation.” Women entrepreneurs from various parts of Uttarakhand participated in the session. The panellists included Dr. Reema Pant (Educationist), Ms. Meenakshi Khati (Aipan Project), Ms. Himani Goswami (Vikasya), and Ms. Namita Tamta (Baba Agrotech).
The second panel discussion, titled “Innovation to Impact: Role of Science Startups and Banking Support,” focused on strengthening the startup ecosystem. Dr. Bhuwan Joshi, Deputy Head, Udaipur Solar Observatory, Mr. Ajay Rawat from Astroverse, Haldwani, and Dr. Peyush Goyal, Emeritus Scientist, UCOST, shared their insights on innovation and entrepreneurship. A range of student competitions, including rangoli, drama, quiz, extempore, poster and model competitions, were organized during the festival. Workshops on creativity, artificial intelligence, robotics and STEM were also conducted to enhance practical learning. A special session on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and career guidance was organized, with a lecture delivered by Dr. D.P. Uniyal, Joint Director, UCOST. The Innovation Festival successfully brought together policymakers, scientists, entrepreneurs and students, fostering a spirit of innovation and collaboration across Uttarakhand. UCOST and RSC officials and more than 300 Students from various schools and colleges -SARC Education Nepal, Students from HimJyoti Public Schools, Selaqui International School, Tons Bridge Schools, St Joseph Academy, Uttaranchal University etc participated in this Innovation Fest.
