Centre notifies governing board, executive council for research funding body ANRF

New DELHI: The government on Saturday notified the governing board and the executive council of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), a new research funding agency with an outlay of Rs 50,000 crore over the next five years. The 15-member governing board of the ANRF will have Prime Minister Narendra Modi as its president and the ministers of science and technology, and education as two vice presidents.

Secretaries to the departments of science and technology; scientific and industrial research; biotechnology; and higher education; member, Niti Ayog dealing with science and technology; principal scientific adviser to the government will be members of the ANRF governing board.

Besides, Princeton University professor Manjul Bhargav; chairman of Symphony Technology Group, California Romesh Wadhwani; Indian Council for Historical Research chair Raghuvendra Tanwar, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research director Jayaram Chengalur; Indian Institute of Science director G Rangarajan and Subra Suresh, professor at Large, Brown University will be members of the governing board.

16-member executive council

The 16-member executive council will be chaired by the principal scientific adviser to the government, and will have secretaries to the departments of science and technology; earth sciences; biotechnology; scientific and industrial research; higher education; health research; defence research and development; atomic energy; space; agricultural research and education; ministry of electronics and information technology; ministry of new and renewable energy; the CEO of ANRF and Rangarajan and Chengalur as members.

Earlier, Abhay Karandikar, Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) was appointed as the interim chief executive officer of the ANRF. The ANRF subsumes the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), which was established by Parliament in 2008, into itself. The foundation will seed, grow and promote research and development (R&D) and foster a culture of research and innovation throughout India's universities, colleges, research institutions and R&D laboratories.

The bill to establish the ANRF was passed by both the Houses of Parliament in August last year. The ANRF is a move to provide a high-level strategic direction for research, innovation and entrepreneurship in the fields of natural sciences, including mathematical sciences, engineering and technology, environmental and earth sciences, health and agriculture, and have long-term effect and outcomes for each citizen.