Inauguration of Innovation festival, Theme Indigenous Technology for “Viksat Bharat” on 26th February 2024 at UCOST
Today Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology (UCOST) celebrate its 1st day of the Innovation festival 2024 with our Chief Guest- Prof. S. P. Singh, FNA, FNASc, Former VC, HNBGU, Uttarakhand and Guest of Honour, Dr Kalachand Sen, FNASc, Director, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun.
The event started with a warm welcome address by Dr. D.P. Uniyal, Joint Director of UCOST, who shed light on the prestigious fellowships and memberships offered by the National Academy of Sciences, igniting aspirations among budding scientists.
Shri G.S. Rautela, Advisor Science City, emphasized innovation’s transformative power, while Prof. S.P. Singh discussed the vital link between research, education, and innovation. Dr. Kalachand Sen stressed sustainable development and green energy solutions.
A brief video showcasing importance of National Science Day was presented by the Department of Science and Technology.
Prof. Durgesh Pant, Director General, UCOST, in his presidential address, articulated the vision of “Viksit Bharat” through innovation, highlighting initiatives like Lab on Wheel/Boxes aimed at democratizing access to scientific education. Further talking about the drug free Uttarakhand, “Say yes to life! Say yes to science! Say no to drugs!”
The ceremony concluded with heartfelt gratitude expressed by Dr. G.S. Rawat, Emeritus Scientist, UCOST.
The event was followed by the inauguration of the exhibitions
In the afternoon panel discussion of innovation and startups discussion led by Prof. AK Dwivedi explored problem-solving methodologies and startup essentials like the Green Hydrogen Mission.
Dr. Nitin Maurya, head of NIF, highlighted student involvement in innovation, with NIF offering support for diverse backgrounds. Shri GS Rautela, Advisor Science City, sparked inspiration with his talk on “Inspiring Innovation in India – भारत के प्रेरक नवाचार. Dr. Vinod Taneja Senior IT expert, LBS Academy discussed leveraging technology for governance and natural resource conservation.
A special session on “Say No to Drugs, Say Yes to Science” was led by Ms. Sonal Kaushal Gupta, who emphasized the importance of avoiding drug use as a solution to everyday challenges. Advocate Shri Lalit Joshi discussed practical strategies for raising awareness and educating individuals about the dangers of drug abuse
The science-based fun activity and quiz competition were also conducted for the students.
The session was coordinated by Dr. Piyush Joshi, senior scientist, UCOST. Scientists, faculty members, researchers, students, UCOST, RSC staff participated in the programme.
