My address at the INSPIRE-MANAK award function at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, felicitating 62 young outstanding innovators among school children, from Class 6 to 12, from across India, selected through a national level competition. Key Takeaways: "Today, school students from across the country, including Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, are seen not only creating novel innovations , but also demonstrating entrepreneurial skill to translate their ideas into marketable products and business ventures. 25 students had already taken their products to market, while around 250 intellectual property rights had been generated by young innovators. Some students were earning lakhs of rupees while still in school. Equally amazing is the geographical diversity of participants, from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to Jammu & Kashmir and from Mizoram to Mumbai, as well as the variety of projects covering agriculture, healthcare, environmental protection, accessibility, energy, water conservation, safety and improving everyday life for older people.   Several of the projects presented at the exhibition, addressed everyday challenges through scientific and technological solutions. These included, for instance, an AI-based alcohol detection system designed to switch off the vehicle engine when the driver is detected having consumed alcohol , or an ultrasonic washing machine that can save water with better washing, or a device designed to deter stray dogs through vibrations, or an assistive technology for visually impaired students, or a tracking walking stick etc. In the last one decade, the government has initiated several programmes for mentorship of such talented children to enable them to recognise their strengths, refine their ideas and navigate the journey from an initial concept to a practical application and finally a market product. I also propose that the future edition of the programme include a dedicated session in which young innovators could speak directly about their work and experiences".

With President of the #Swiss Confederation, Guy Parmelin, currently on India visit, held a bilateral meeting, with discussions focused on further strengthening the longstanding India- #Switzerland partnership in science, technology, research and innovation. Reference also came up of the highly fruitful meeting that President Guy Parmelin had with Prime Minister Sh @narendramodi on the first day of his visit yesterday. The delegations from the two sides also joined. Letter of Intent between the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the Department of Science & Technology (DST), and the Implementation Agreement between the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) and DST have been finalised. The Swiss side was highly appreciative of India’s expanding S&T priorities in biotechnology, vaccine development, genome sequencing, quantum technology, space and deep ocean research, as well as the emerging opportunities in blue economy and bio-economy. The cordial relationship between India and Switzerland makes it easier for the two countries to collaborate at different levels for a sustained engagement in areas of mutual interest. @ParmelinG

My address at the inaugural 'Indo-Swiss Research Flagship Event 2026' coinciding with the visit of President Guy Parmelin of #Switzerland. Key Takeaways: "This is an occasion not only to celebrate two decades of healthy and progressively expanding cooperation between the two countries, but also to chart the way forward by diversifying the partnership into emerging areas of Science, Technology and Innovation, and creating greater opportunities for researchers and innovators in both countries. Appropriately therefore, the programme is structured around two broad themes, “Looking back on 20 Years of Impact and Excellence” and “Looking forward: Transforming Tomorrow Together”. The Indo-Swiss Research Framework represents a new and more strategic phase in the relationship, moving the partnership towards a structured, system-level approach to long-term cooperation. The framework is designed to strengthen mobility, knowledge exchange, research networking and sustained collaboration, while opening new avenues for cooperation aligned with national priorities and globally relevant areas.   With PM Sh @narendramodi's special impetus on technology and innovation, initiatives like “Explore” are welcome, which aims at building new research networks with the vision of developing larger consortia, and the Academia-Industry Training (AIT) programme. Scheduled to open in November 2026 as a co-funded SNSF-DST initiative, "Explore" programme will be of a 9–12-month duration and support for travel, networking and small equipment to help new ideas in basic science develop into larger research opportunities".

Glimpses of the bilateral meeting with President of the #Swiss Confederation, Mr Guy Parmelin, focusing on strengthening the #India–#Switzerland partnership in science, technology, research and innovation, following a highly productive meeting that the visiting President had with PM Sh @narendramodi .

'Indo-Swiss Research Flagship Event 2026'