Office of Principal Scientific Adviser to the GoI

The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India remembers Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman on his birth anniversary. Through his research in optics and acoustics, Sir C. V. Raman made significant contributions to the understanding of light and its interaction with matter. In 1928, his experiments on molecular scattering led to the discovery of the Raman Effect, which describes how light changes its wavelength and frequency when scattered by molecules. The discovery brought international recognition and earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930, making him the first Asian to receive the honour in this category. Today the Raman Effect continues to find applications in various fields of science.

His contribution to science extended beyond his research. As the first Indian director of the Indian Institute of Science (@iiscbangalore), he contributed to advancing scientific research in the country. He founded the Indian Journal of Physics (1926), established the Indian Academy of Sciences (1934) and went on to set up the Raman Research Institute (@RRI_Bangalore) in Bengaluru (1948), creating a space for independent scientific research. His achievements also earned him the Hughes Medal in 1930 and the Bharat Ratna in 1954, among several other recognitions. Today, we remember his contribution to scientific discovery and institution-building, which continues to enrich India's research landscape.

The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, in collaboration with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (@DPIITGoI), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, (@DoC_GoI), launched the API integration of DPIIT’s Startup India Portal with the Indian Science Technology and Engineering facilities Map (I-STEM) Portal on 6 November 2026, under the chairmanship of Prof. @AjaySoodIISc, Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India. The launch was attended by Dr (Mrs.) Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary, Office of the PSA; Shri Ateesh Kumar Singh, Additional Secretary, DPIIT; Dr Vishal Choudhary Vishal Choudhary, Scientist-F; Dr Santhosh S.Nair, Ph.D, sMBA, Scientist-D; Dr Shefali Uttam, Technical Staff, Office of the PSA; and members of the DPIIT and I-STEM teams.

Prof. Sood, in his opening remarks, highlighted that the integration represents an institutional convergence, bridging startup requirements with the scientific infrastructure and technical capabilities distributed across the nation. He emphasized its potential to reduce research and development costs, prevent the duplication of capital-intensive facilities, and maximize the utilization of publicly funded infrastructure. Furthermore, he underscored the critical need for strengthened industry-academia linkages and access to specialized facilities for deep-tech startups spanning technology development, prototyping, testing, and validation.

Dr Maini highlighted the pivotal role of I-STEM in facilitating the sharing and optimal utilisation of scientific infrastructure across academic and research institutions. She noted that the integration would help DPIIT-recognised startups identify and access relevant facilities more efficiently, reducing infrastructure-related challenges and fostering innovation.

The initiative brings together complementary institutional strengths and seeks to build a more interconnected and resource-efficient innovation ecosystem through this collaboration.

Read the full press release here: pib.gov.in/PressReleasePa…

Watch | Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Prof. @AjaySoodIISc joined a plenary session at the BRE Summit & Expo 2026, held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi and delivered an address on the theme “Scaling Green Hydrogen: Global Markets & Technology” on 3 November 2026.

In his opening remarks, he highlights Innovation, R&D, Technology Leadership, and Industrial Transformation as the four links of development and further explores the roadmap to strengthen these. He further underscores how green hydrogen could be a key solution for decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors. Success in hydrogen will not come only from scientific discoveries, it also requires innovation in how hydrogen is produced, transported, financed, and sold, he said.

Watch the full address here: youtu.be/oT8Jhb3LeNg

The Non-farm technologies under the category Manufacturing, Infrastructure & Mobility Systems and Water, Sanitation & Environmental Technologies features technologies developed by the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR). They showcase practical solutions for safer infrastructure, efficient waste management, resource recovery and sustainable road maintenance.

🔷 Low-Disruption Underpass Construction Technology: A patented Soil Nailing with Box Jacking technique that enables underpass construction below live traffic while minimising soil displacement and disruption to existing structures. psa.gov.in/livelihood/9868
🔷 Anaerobic Gas Lift Reactor (AGR) Technology for Organic Waste Biotransformation: A patented technology that converts organic waste into biogas and nutrient-rich bio-manure through continuous mixing without mechanical mixers, supporting clean energy and biomass utilisation. psa.gov.in/livelihood/9864
🔷 Recycling of Plastic Wastes into Tiles for Structural and Societal Applications: A patented technology that converts non-biodegradable plastic waste such as LDPE bags and bottles into durable construction materials, supporting waste management and circular economy practices. psa.gov.in/livelihood/9941
🔷 PatchFILL – The Pothole Repair Machine: A compact, low-cost machine using cold mix technology for efficient and sustainable pothole repair, offering an indigenous solution for road maintenance. psa.gov.in/livelihood/9839

Read more about सह SANKALP on: psa.gov.in/livelihoodMiss…

@CSIR_IND | @DBTIndia | @IndiaDST | @icarindia | @moesgoi | @GoI_MeitY | @LabourMinistry | @minmsme

#SahSankalp #NonFarmTechnologies

Prof.@AjaySoodIISc, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, joined Valedictory Function of the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit and Expo 2026, held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on 5 November 2026.

In his address, Prof. Sood highlighted India’s renewable energy capacity of 299.25 GW and emphasised the need to strengthen the country’s capabilities across renewable energy manufacturing, technology development and supply chains. He noted that closer engagement between research institutions and industry would help translate scientific advances into manufacturing and deployment. Further he outlined four key priorities for the next phase of the energy transition. He also underscored the importance of international cooperation through joint research, common testing approaches and technology partnerships.

Watch the full address here: youtube.com/watch?v=dZ1q98…

@BharatRESummit