Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the first meeting of the Governing Board of Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) at his residence in New Delhi today. The meeting focused on India’s Science and Technology landscape and the redesign of research and development programs.
PM Modi emphasized the importance of removing obstacles in India’s research ecosystem. He urged setting ambitious targets and conducting pathbreaking research, especially localized solutions to global problems. He also highlighted the need for upgrading institutions and standardizing research efforts.
Boosting Research with Industry Collaboration
The Prime Minister suggested developing a list of domain experts and creating a dashboard to track research activities. He stressed the scientific monitoring of resource utilization and assured the research community of sufficient funding for their projects. PM Modi highlighted the positive impact of Atal Tinkering Labs and suggested grading them for further improvement. He also discussed research on environmental solutions, EV battery materials, and lab-grown diamonds.
The Governing Board proposed launching a mentorship program by pairing nascent research universities with established institutions. It also decided to focus on strategic interventions to align R&D with national priorities, promote inclusive growth, and drive scientific innovation by bridging the gap between academic research and industry applications.
Mission-Mode Research for India’s Development
The ANRF will launch mission-mode programs in key areas like Electric Vehicle mobility, Advanced Materials, Health Technology, Smart Infrastructure, Sustainable Agriculture, and Solar Cells. These efforts are expected to bolster India’s path towards becoming self-reliant, or “Aatmanirbhar Bharat.”
Additionally, the Governing Board emphasized the need for interdisciplinary research, especially in humanities and social sciences, and agreed on flexible, transparent funding mechanisms to simplify research processes. The meeting concluded with a commitment to align ANRF’s strategies with the “Viksit Bharat 2047” vision and global best practices in research and development.
The meeting was attended by Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan, prominent academics, industry leaders, and government officials.
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