Calling for a decisive integration of science and governance, Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India, Prof. Ajay Ok. Sood, asserted that science–coverage convergence will likely be central to reaching the imaginative and prescient of Viksit Bharat by 2047. He was chairing the National Science Day Lectures through the National Science Day Celebration–2026 at Vigyan Bhawan.
Held below the theme “Women in Science Catalysing Viksit Bharat,” the occasion introduced collectively senior policymakers, scientists, researchers, academicians and trade representatives to chart a roadmap for strengthening India’s scientific ecosystem in alignment with nationwide priorities.
National Science Day is noticed yearly on February 28 to commemorate Sir C.V. Raman’s discovery of the Raman Effect in 1928, a milestone that underscored India’s early international contributions to basic science.
Science–Policy Interface: From Laboratories to National Missions
In his keynote tackle, Prof. Sood emphasised that India’s scientific progress should not function in isolation from nationwide growth methods. He careworn that important sectors equivalent to aerospace, defence, important minerals, superior supplies, semiconductors and digital communications require coordinated institutional frameworks and sustained funding.
“Scientific capability must translate into national capability,” he underscored, noting that India’s long-term development will depend on integrating analysis outputs into mission-mode programmes throughout ministries and strategic sectors.
India at the moment invests round 0.7% of its GDP in analysis and growth, considerably decrease than main innovation-driven economies. Prof. Sood highlighted that bettering R&D depth, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and strengthening indigenous technological capability will likely be important for reaching technological self-reliance.
He additionally emphasised the significance of speaking science in Indian languages to develop public engagement and guarantee inclusive participation within the scientific enterprise.
Women in Science: Catalysts of Transformation
The 2026 celebration spotlighted the rising function of ladies scientists in India’s growth journey. While girls represent almost half of India’s STEM graduates, they characterize roughly 18% of the nation’s energetic researchers. Speakers highlighted the necessity for coverage interventions that allow retention, management alternatives and equitable entry to analysis funding.
Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology (DST), reiterated the federal government’s dedication to strengthening inclusive analysis ecosystems. He careworn that India’s science coverage structure should assist each frontier analysis and translational innovation.
“Science-led development must ensure that research outcomes move efficiently from laboratories to real-world applications,” he mentioned, emphasizing interdisciplinary analysis clusters, startup linkages and know-how switch mechanisms.
Strategic Technologies in Focus
The three National Science Day Lectures showcased breakthrough developments in strategic domains essential to India’s technological sovereignty.
Direct-to-Mobile Broadcasting: India’s Digital LeapfrogShri Shashi S. Vempati, Former CEO of Prasar Bharati, outlined India’s formidable roadmap for Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) broadcasting. Developed in collaboration with IIT Kanpur and a startup companion, the initiative goals to ship multimedia content material instantly to cellular gadgets with out relying solely on web knowledge networks.He traced Doordarshan’s technological evolution and positioned D2M as a possible game-changer for catastrophe communication, public broadcasting, digital inclusion and bandwidth optimization.
Critical Metals and Materials: Mission-Mode ApproachDr. Ok. Balasubramanian, Director of the Non-Ferrous Technology Development Centre (NFTDC), offered an built-in roadmap for securing important metals important for area, defence and nuclear sectors.Highlighting India’s strengths in course of engineering and fast plant-scale deployment, he known as for shifting from a serial lab-to-plant growth mannequin to a systems-based, mission-mode method.With international provide chains for uncommon earths and strategic minerals more and more geopolitically delicate, he careworn the urgency of home value-chain growth and recycling capabilities.
Made-in-India Aerospace InnovationDr. Shubha V. Iyenger, Former Distinguished Scientist at CSIR–National Aerospace Laboratories, showcased “Drishti,” India’s first indigenous runway visibility measuring system. Recently conferred the Padma Shri in 2026 for her contribution, she described how Drishti enhances aviation security whereas lowering reliance on imported programs.The innovation exemplifies India’s rising capabilities in superior aerospace instrumentation and defence-grade applied sciences.
Evidence-Based Policymaking for Viksit Bharat
During the panel dialogue on Science Policy Interface for Catalysing Viksit Bharat, Prof. Shekhar C. Mande, President of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), careworn that institutionalized dialogue between scientists and policymakers is important.
He emphasised that evidence-based policymaking should be grounded in rigorous analysis and that stronger institutional interfaces between academia and authorities will likely be important to accelerating India’s growth trajectory.
Collective Resolve Towards 2047
The occasion concluded with a shared dedication to deepen science–coverage integration, improve translational analysis pipelines and develop public engagement with science. As India approaches the centenary of Independence in 2047, audio system underscored that technological self-reliance, strategic innovation and inclusive scientific participation will outline the nation’s journey in direction of changing into a developed financial system.
The National Science Day Celebration–2026 bolstered a transparent message: the trail to Viksit Bharat runs by way of a strong, inclusive and policy-aligned scientific ecosystem.