108th Indian Science Congress to focus on sustainable development, with inclusive involvement of all, especially women
New Delhi, January 2, 2023
The 108th Indian Science Congress being inaugurated at Nagpur tomorrow by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will focus on sustainable development with inclusive involvement of all sections of society including women.
The Prime Minister will inaugurate the Congress and attend the inaugural session through video conference.
Stating this in a pre-conference briefing to the media, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology & Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh said the focal theme of this year’s Science Congress would be “Science & Technology for Sustainable Development with Women Empowerment”.
The event is being hosted by Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU) at its Amravati Road Campus.
The conference will deliberate on holistic growth and review economies and sustainable goals while addressing possible obstacles to the growth of women in science & technology.
The Minister said a unique hallmark of the Indian Science Congress this year would be the “Children Science Congress” to provide opportunities to children to use their scientific temperament and knowledge for creativity through scientific experiments.
Dr Jitendra Singh also referred to a new event, the “Tribal Science Congress” to showcase the empowerment of tribal women. It will also provide a platform for the display of indigenous knowledge systems and practices.
The plenary sessions will feature Nobel laureates, leading Indian and foreign researchers, experts and technocrats from a wide variety of fields, including space, defence, IT and medical research.
The technical sessions will showcase path-breaking and applied research in Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Animal, Veterinary and Fishery Sciences, Anthropological and Behavioural Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Earth System Sciences, Engineering Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Information and Communication Science & Technology, Material Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Medical Sciences, New Biology, Physical Sciences, and Plant Sciences, he added.
The Minister also referred to a special attraction of the event, the mega expo “Pride of India” which will display the strengths and achievements of the Government, Corporate, PSUs, Academic and R&D Institutes, Innovators & Entrepreneurs from all across the country. Prominent developments, major achievements and significant contributions largely of Indian Science and Technology to the society will be depicted
Apart from these 14 sections, there will be a Women’s Science Congress, a Farmers’ Science Congress, a Children’s Science Congress, a Tribal Meet, a section on Science and Society and a Science Communicators’ Congress.
The public talks and exhibitions are open to the general public. The technical sessions have been divided into 14 sections under which parallel sessions will be conducted at different venues in the university’s Mahatma Jotiba Phule Educational Campus.
The inaugural session will be attended by Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Union Minister and Chairman of the Advisory Committee of RTMNU Centenary Celebrations Nitin Gadkari, and Dr Jitendra Singh.
Vice Chancellor of Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University Dr Subhash R Chaudhari and General President of Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA), Kolkata, Dr (Mrs) Vijay Laxmi Saxena will be present.
In the run-up to the event, the Vigyan Jyot programme, a tradition of the Indian Science Congress was held today. More than 400 school and college students gathered at Zero Milestone and, wearing special caps and T-shirts, proceeded in a rally to the university campus. They took a pledge to adopt scientific thinking in their lives. ISCA General President Dr (Mrs) Vijay Laxmi Saxena urged them not to study science as merely a subject, but to make it a part of life in anything that they do.
Vigyan Jyot, Flame of Knowledge, was conceived along the lines of the Olympic flame. It is a movement dedicated to nurturing scientific temper in society, especially the youth. The flame, installed at the University campus, will continue to remain alight until the conclusion of the 108th Indian Science Congress.
NNN
