The 81st Foundation Day of The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) was celebrated with great pomp on 13 October at CSIR-Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSMCRI), Bhavnagar, Gujarat. In this programme, which lasted for the whole day, a scientific-educational tour was organised in the institute for the students and teachers of various schools of Bhavnagar under the banner of Jigyasa to commemorate the Amrit Mahotsav of freedom.
CSIR is known for its cutting-edge research and development knowledgebase in diverse science and technology areas from diagnosis to drugs, from hygiene to health, from energy to environment, from health drinks to drinking water, from in-house to industry, from arterial to aeroplanes and from industrial waste to wealth. Having a pan-India presence, CSIR has a dynamic network of many national laboratories, outreach centres, Innovation Complexes and units.
Sr Scientist and PRO, Dr KB Pandey informed that as per direction of DG, CSIR, and Dr. N Kalaiselvi, various research activities of the institute were made aware tothe students to inculcate interest in science. The students enthusiastically learned about the reverse osmosis bus, cultivation and use of seaweed, workshop and production technology and the principles and uses of tissue culture. In the afternoon the Foundation Day lecture titled “Environmental Management to address Sustainability’ was delivered by chief guest Prof. AniruddhaBhalchandraPandit, Vice Chancellor, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai.
Director of the Institute, Dr Kannan Srinivasan in his address elaborated on recent contributions of CSIR in the energy sector – aviation fuel, batteries, hydrogen, dimethyl ether, water – heliborne survey for water mapping, desalination, IoT-enabled quality water delivery, etc.Besides, he also discussed disaster relief management including efforts in fighting against COVID citing a very recent discovery of a drug developed at a lab in CSIR that is undergoing Phase III clinical trial.
Dr Kannan also mentioned the flagship projects being carried out at CSIR-CSMCRI on the establishment of world-class salt farm, a seaweed mission in identifying potential locations for seaweed cultivation on a pan-India basis, installation & commissioning of a mid-sized desalination plant for providing guidelines and protocols, projects that are of national importance and relevance.
Recently CSIR-CSMCRI organised international conferences on water, seaweed, chemicals, etc. with an endeavour to connect with industries and stakeholders. As part of outreach, CSIR-CSMCRI also conducted several skill development programmes for the youth and Jigyasa programmes for the students/teachers of Gujarat.
Dr Kannan also referred to the appeal of the Director General, CSIR, for addressing these complex problems and challenges, reorientation and revitalisation of CSIR. He reiterated that industry-institution necessity gaps, visibility & outreach, image building of CSIR are critical. He said that the progress of any institution depends on its employees. He called upon the path forward to make CSIR a leading institution in the world.
During the programme, employees who completed 25 years of regular service in CSIR were felicitated and the annual report 2021-22 of the institute was also released. The programme was coordinated and welcomed by the senior most scientist Dr Bishwajit Ganguly and concluded by the Controller of Administration Mr Subhash Chander.
