A glimpse into CSIR’s feat on its platinum jubilee

Technofest at CFTRI gives an insight into contributions in science and technology

Mysuru Karnataka: 18-09-2017: A three-day exhibition to mark the Platinum Jubilee of CSIR was inaugurated at CFTRI premises in Mysuru on Monday. PHOTO: M.A.SRIRAM

The three-day “CSIR Technofest” exhibition got off to a start at CSIR-CFTRI campus here on Monday with CFTRI Director Ram Rajasekharan inaugurating the function amongst a large gathering of students and academia.

The CSIR Platinum Jubilee Technofest was organised to inform the public about the contribution of CSIR in the science and technology front in the last 75 years for improving the lives of people by means of technology interventions, skill development, and employment generation, including strategic sectors while networking with industry, academia, and institutions.

14 information panels

While inaugurating the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations at CSIR headquarters on September 26 last year, the Prime Minister, who is also the President of CSIR, had suggested that CSIR’s achievements should be exhibited across the country, so that people will be able to know about the advancements.

Accordingly, 14 theme-based information panels highlighting major CSIR achievements have been featured at the exhibition, according to the CFTRI.

CSIR also provides S and T based services to industry and other stakeholders, acts as a custodian for primary standards of measurements, bio-resources, and traditional knowledge.

It is also the nation’s flag bearer in intellectual property generation and protection and creates the country’s largest S and T human resource, a release stated here.

Path-breaking research

CSIR has been known for its path-breaking research in many areas which include indelible ink, which is the hallmark of every election process in the country. Incidentally, the Mysore Paints and Varnish Ltd., the only company authorised to produce it, is also based in Mysuru.

The multitude of research areas pursued in CSIR include agriculture, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, drug development, earth sciences, energy, food, material science, genomics, housing, healthcare, leather, microbiology, environmental engineering, power electronics, roads, sensors, solar energy, weather forecasting, and so on, the release further stated.

Swaraj, the first tractor of the country, baby milk powder developed by CFTRI, the first supercomputer of the country were some of the accomplishments of CSIR.

Apart from the exhibits encompassing the pan India CSIR laboratories, there are also stalls displaying the recent technologies of CSIR-CFTRI for the benefit of the local students and the public.

Stalls, sessions

Stalls showcasing superfoods — chia, quinoa and teff, fortified foods, nutrition enriched products like spirulina chikki, kokum candy, carbonated fruit beverages, food adulteration test kits, fermented beverages and gluten free products — have been the major attraction to all.

Also, scientist-student interactive sessions have been arranged and scientific lectures are delivered to create awareness and curiosity amongst children, so that they may pursue a career in basic sciences in future.

There is also a Scientist – Industry/ entrepreneur interaction scheduled on September 20, the release said.