Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, Health and Family Welfare and Vice President, CSIR presided over the event. In view of the current Covid-19 pandemic while the physical event was small gathering with appropriate social distancing, Dr. Shekhar C. Mande, DG, CSIR & Secretary, DSIR (Department for Scientific & Industrial Research), A. Chakraborty, Head, HRDG, andall CSIR labs and several others joined the event through various social media platforms.
The Minister appreciated the work done by entire CSIR during this current Covid-19 crisis. He said under the times of needs CSIR labs have risen to the occasion and delivered diagnostics, drugs and ventilators among many others.
Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan also released a digital book and a short film on the CSIR’s COVID-19 efforts, which highlighted the people behind the various initiatives of CSIR in its fight against Covid-19.
DG-CSIR Dr. Shekhar Mande announced the winners of the prestigious Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Awards 2020.
Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan urged CSIR to brain storm and come up with roadmap and strategy for achieving ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ through S&T. He expressed happiness to see the innovativeness of the young school students and complimented all the Young Scientist Awardees, Technology Award Winners, CAIRD award winners.