The countdown has begun for the four-day seventh India International Science Festival scheduled to
be held in Panaji, Goa, from December 10 to 13 to celebrate the various achievements of Indian science and to lay the road map for the future.
The festival is an initiative of the Ministries of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences in association with Vijnana Bharati, which is a science movement with the ‘Swadeshi’ spirit led by eminent scientists of the country. Its main purpose is to engage the common man with science, joyfully and entertainingly. The programmes and activities conducted during the event are designed to provide an opportunity for the common man and the scientific fraternity to come together on a common platform.
The journey of the festival started in 2015 in Delhi. The responsibility for organising it is given to one of the Departments of Science and Technology or the Ministry of Earth Sciences in rotation. The Ministry of Earth Sciences is the nodal organisation this year, implementing it jointly with the Departments of Atomic Energy (DAE), Science and Technology (DST), Biotechnology (DBT), and Space (DoS) and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). It is being organised in collaboration with the State Government of Goa.
The festival theme this year is `Celebrating Creativity in Science’. It will have 12 programmes including a science and technology expo. As the country is celebrating the 75th year of its Independence, all the programmes will reflect the spirit and idea of `Aazadika Amrit Mahotsav’.
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Launching the countdown at a `curtain raiser’ function, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh, said a major thrust of the four-day event will be to prepare a roadmap in consonance with Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi’s vision of New India, which sees itself as a `Vishva Guru’ (world leader) in the next 25 years when India will celebrate 100 years of independence.
The festival, he said, will also provide a platform to young students, scientists and technocrats from across India for exchange of knowledge and ideas and also supporting flagship programmes like ‘Swach Bharat Abhiyan’, Swasth Bharat Abhiyan’, ‘Make in India’, ‘Digital India’, ‘Smart Villages’, ‘Smart Cities’, ‘Namami Gange’, ‘Unnath Bharat Abhiyan’ initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the last seven years.
He noted that science was not only a subject of research but has also assumed the dimensions of festivity and there is a need for celebrating science festivals in every city and village of India to inspire the youth in critical thinking. Science blended with creative innovation brings “ease of living” for the common man, he added.
Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Dr M. Ravichandran, Secretary of Department of Atomic Energy, K.N.Vyas, DG, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, ShekharMande, President of Vijnana Bharati, Dr Vijay Bhatkar, and its National Organising Secretary, Jayant Sahasrabudhe, joined today’s programme. Chairman, ISRO, Dr K. Sivan and Chief Minister, Goa, Pramod Sawant, joined the programme through their representatives.
