Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 18 (FN Agency) With its unique and exclusive R&D activities, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST) here has made a niche for all other centres of CSIR across India, said Union Minister of State for Science & Technology Dr Jitendra Singh on Thursday. Speaking at the inauguration of the year-long Golden Jubilee celebrations of CSIR-NIIST at its Pappanamcode campus in the city, he suggested that CSIR-NIIST draw a roadmap for the next 25 years with a major focus on younger talent pool which also complements with Mission 2027 (Viksit Bharat). Lauding the institute for its golden jubilee, the minister said it comes at a time when the central government is celebrating science, innovation and startups on a grand scale. “A strong collaboration among academia, research, startups and industry is vital to create innovation. Besides, we need to devise global strategies to set a benchmark for ourselves,” he noted. On the occasion, Dr Singh laid the foundation stone for the Centre of Excellence in Ayurveda Research on the campus and also inaugurated the Centre of Excellence in Performance Chemicals and Sustainable Polymers. Both milestone initiatives mark the commencement of the year-long golden jubilee celebrations of the institute that has made significant contributions in the field of scientific research and development.
The Centre of Excellence in Ayurveda Research is envisaged as a premier facility for scientific validation, standardisation and global promotion of Ayurvedic products, making them compliant with international quality, safety and efficacy standards, considering the worldwide acceptance of the holistic Indian system of wellness. The facility will support Ayush enterprises, including MSMEs, to strengthen their product portfolios, particularly in Ayurveda. The Centre of Excellence in Performance Chemicals and Sustainable Polymers for Industrial Application aligns with India’s goal of becoming the world’s third largest economy by 2030, focusing on the need to strengthen R&D to reduce dependence on imports by fostering domestic production in chemical and polymer sectors. As part of the celebrations, the Minister released CSIR-NIIST Golden Jubilee Year Book, along with the Golden Jubilee Stamp. He also inaugurated the CSIR-NIIST Startup Expo held on the sidelines of the inaugural ceremony. Dr C Anandharamakrishnan, director of CSIR-NIIST, presided over the function, where Dr Sanjay Behari, director, SCTIMST, was the guest of honour. CSIR-NIIST, which completes 50 years of its existence in October 2025, is a constituent laboratory under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt of India.