The CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR), New Delhi and Vibha Vani India, in collaboration with Indian Social Responsibility Network (ISRN), Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA), and Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA), successfully hosted a two-day CSR Meet and Capacity Building Workshop on “Strengthening Grassroots Development through Science & Technology Interventions”, during 11-12 September 2025.

The workshop’s inaugural session featured welcome remarks by Dr Geetha Vani Rayasam, Director, CSIR-NIScPR, who highlighted the institute’s initiative to bring together grassroots workers, stakeholders, and industry leaders to create a network and raise technology awareness. She emphasised the importance of such workshops in connecting stakeholders and addressing issues.

Dr Yogesh Suman, Chief Scientist, CSIR-NIScPR, stated that the workshop aimed to take CSIR technologies to the grassroots level, addressing challenges identified after technology transfer. Shri NP Rajive, Executive Director, Vibha Vani India, emphasised the collaboration between the corporate sector, grassroots leaders, and CSIR scientists to solve societal issues.

Dr Shiv Kumar Sharma, National Organising Secretary, Vijnana Bharati, and Guest of Honour, stressed the importance of working together towards nation-building through science and technology, highlighting the need to “come together, think together, take decisions together, and work together”.

Dr Jitendra Kumar, Managing Director of BIRAC, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, was the Chief Guest of the event. Dr Kumar emphasised that this CSR meeting & workshop is unique because it focuses on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He highlighted the importance of multiple stakeholders coming together to drive change. Dr Kumar noted that while CSIR labs have developed innovative technologies, commercialising them remains a challenge. These technologies can contribute to achieving SDG goals, but collaborative efforts are necessary.
“Innovations can change the course of a nation’s development, and it’s imperative that we protect and nurture them through robust Intellectual Property Rights,” Dr Kumar said, adding that nations that prioritise IPR have become innovation leaders.

The inaugural session was anchored by Ms Meetali Bharti, Senior Scientist at NIScPR, and a vote of thanks was delivered by Dr Shiv Narayan Nishad, Senior Scientist at CSIR-NIScPR. 

The workshop included proposal presentation sessions featuring CSIR labs, higher education institutions, and grassroots development organisations. CSIR labs such as IHBT, CSMCRI, IICT, CIMAP, and NIIST presented their initiatives for attaining SDG goals. Higher education institutions like NCI and RCI, affiliated with Unnat Bharat Abhiyan, also made presentations.

CSR leaders of TATA Steel, Vedanta, Coal India Limited, ONGC Videsh Ltd, ACME Solar, GAIL (India) Limited, and KK duplex participated in the event. 

The Capacity Building Workshop was held on the second day, which included technical sessions. The first two sessions, “Essence of Project Proposal Writing” and “Success Stories & Impact Narratives,” were moderated by ISRN. The third session, “Presentation by Participants and Review by Judging Panel,” was followed by the final session, “Capacity Building for CSR Project Execution & Valedictory Session,” which was moderated by Shri NP Rajive from Vijnana Bharati and Dr Vipin Kumar, Chief Scientist, National Innovation Foundation (NIF), respectively.

A Kisan Sabha app training programme was also organised by CSIR-NIScPR, aimed at educating stakeholders on how local farmers can leverage the app, and how CSR leaders, scientists, and NGO representatives can utilise it to support farmers effectively.

The workshop concluded with a valedictory session addressed by Prof. Anil Sahasrabudhe, Chairman, NAAC, Bengaluru. 

In his address, Prof. Sahasrabudhe emphasised the significance of such workshops in driving progress towards a Viksit Bharat. He highlighted the impact of grassroots-level initiatives, citing a successful Kisan training programme in Maharashtra’s Marathwada region that achieved a remarkable 10-fold impact. He stressed that true development can only be achieved when every village is empowered and every citizen has access to basic necessities. Prof. Sahasrabudhe also underscored the value of collaborative learning and the potential of innovative ‘Jugaad’ solutions that can be unlocked through scientific validation.