CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR-IHBT), Palampur, celebrated National Technology Day on 11 May 2022. The nation celebrates National Technology Day on 11 May every year as a symbol of the pursuit of technological creativity and scientific empowerment for the integration of society and industry through science and technology. This day is celebrated on the successful nuclear test conducted in Pokhran in 1998 and becoming the sixth nuclear country in the world.
Dr Sanjay Kumar, Director of the institute addressed the august gathering. In his address, he told how digital technology has brought a change in our lives. This has given impetus to the spread of knowledge. The Institute is contributing to the socio-economic development of the communities through its mission mode projects. Under the Aromatic and Medicinal Plant Mission, the institute is playing an active role in increasing the income of farmers by growing aromatic crops and it’s processing, due to which farmers are moving towards self-reliance by getting more income than traditional crops. In his address, he guided the students to develop scientific aptitude. He discussed the important technological and scientific achievements, which help in making concerted efforts towards self-reliant India.
Chief Guest of the function Prof. Pulok Kumar Mukherjee, Director, Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), Imphal, Manipur delivered the Technology Day speech on the theme 'Ethnopharmacology: Integrating Shastra and Science from Tradition to Translation'. In his address, Dr Mukherjee highlighted the contribution in the development of plant-based medicine in the field of health. According to the folklore tradition, there is a need to save the traditional knowledge and its use and dissemination in the modern medicine field. The entire Himalayan region is a source of medicinal plant wealth. There is a need for its documentation so that the bio-economy of the area can be upgraded by utilizing this wealth and manufacturing potential drugs through quality control and evaluation in the future. It will be another meaningful step towards self-reliance.
Under "JIGYASA", over 100 students and teachers of NavodayaVidyalaya, Paprola, Government School, Saliana, DAV, Palampur, DAV, Alampur, Neugal Public School, Brindavan, Parmarth School, Baijnath, Green Field School, Nagrota participated in the Technology Day function and visited various laboratories.
On this occasion, CSIR-IHBT signed Technology Transfer Agreements with M/s BitbakerRamanattukara, Kozhikode, Kerala for travel/pocket perfume and air freshener and M/s Amalgam Biotech, Amalgam Engineering Pune (MH) for “Compost Booster – Stabilization of Night Soil/Kitchen Waste. A Memorandum of Understanding between IBSD and CSIR-IHBT aimed at R&D cooperation was also signed.
Dignitaries from the Palampur and faculty from adjoining institutes, scientists, research students & staff of CSIR-IHBT and media representatives also graced the function.
