Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, CSIR today celebrated its 66th Foundation Day with great enthusiasm. Shri Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences gave away the CSIR Young Scientist Awards 2008 and the CSIR Technology Awards 2008 at a function organized in New Delhi to mark the occasion. In his address, the Minister called upon the scientific community to bring science out of laboratories in the form of solutions to the day-to-day problems of the people. Observing that India is the third most attractive nation for R&D, Shri Sibal reiterated the commitment of the government to provide world class environment for scientists to pursue their research.

Lauding the recent launch of an open source platform by CSIR the Minister strongly advocated a system of free flow of information. He also praised the Project 800 of the CSIR which aims at bringing solutions to 800 million people in the country in the areas of agriculture, energy and health.

Prof. Bartha Maria Knoppfers of the University of Montreal, Canada delivered the CSIR Foundation Day lecture on Investments in Health Research and International Interoperability.

On the occasion the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prizes for 2008 were announced by Prof. Samir K. Brahmachari, Director General, CSIR. He also named the winners of the CSIR Award for S&T Innovation in Rural Development.

Source: Press Information Bureau
Date: 26 September, 2008