Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh (third from right) observes the demonstration of ‘Vidyut Swasthya,’ a pedal-assisted exercise system that converts human energy into electricity, at the CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement
Union Minister of Science and Technology Jitendra Singh on Wednesday (October 15, 2025) underscored the need for India to create a self-sustainable science and technology ecosystem with a larger participation by the private sector.
Mr. Singh was speaking after inaugurating the finale of the golden jubilee celebrations of CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST) in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
He called for a “whole of government approach combined with the whole of science and whole of nation approaches with the increased participation of private players.”
“As you have seen, we have opened up even those sectors that were once considered taboo. We have opened up the space sector, and this year, the Budget declared the opening up of the nuclear sector,” Mr. Singh said.
Over the past few years, there has been a surge in interdisciplinary initiatives and interdisciplinary planning because the “age of silos” is over, he said.
NIIST’s character and strength, the Union Minister observed, lies in its interdisciplinary agenda.
Lauding the founders of NIIST for being futuristic in their vision in founding an institute with an interdisciplinary character, he said NIIST has vindicated its purpose. Mr. Singh added that it is now time for the institute to move on to the “next level.”
C. Anandharamakrishnan, director, CSIR-NIIST, said the institute is moving forward with the vision of transforming itself into an ‘International Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology’ in the future.
Vidyut Swasthya
Mr. Singh unveiled ‘Vidyut Swasthya,’ a pedal-assisted exercise system that converts human energy into electricity for charging gadgets on the occasion.
NIIST also unveiled a number of initiatives, including the Golden Jubilee Innovation Centre; ‘ANANDHA’ – Automated Nodal-hub for Assembly of Next-generation Dye-sensitised Light Harvesters, which is an artificial intelligence and machine learning laboratory; and an eco-restoration project for the Padmatheertham Pond in Thiruvananthapuram.
On the occasion, NIIST also transferred the technology for aluminium-magnesium-scandium (Al-Mg-Sc) alloys developed by it and exchanged MoUs for sustainable wastewater management in houseboats and smart tyres.
Krishna Ella, executive chairman of Bharat Biotech, Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Vice Chancellor Dipankar Banerjee, BJP Kerala State president and former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar and CSIR-NIIST chief scientist P. Nishy also spoke.
Published – October 15, 2025 02:45 pm IST
