Principal scientific adviser chairs first joint meeting of science and technology clusters at Jodhpur

NEW DELHI: Principal scientific adviser to the union government Ajay Kumar Sood chaired the first joint science and technology clusters’ meet at Jodhpur. The meeting was organised by the Jodhpur City Knowledge and Innovation Foundation (JCKIF) and hosted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur.

Launched in 2020, the City S&T Clusters is a flagship initiative of the office of the principal scientific adviser, established on the recommendation of the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC). This initiative aims to tackle local challenges through S&T interventions by bringing together academia, research and development institutions, industries, startups and local governments. Currently, there are seven S&T clusters operating in Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jodhpur, Pune, and Chandigarh, all working together to find solutions to regional issues through collaborative efforts.

In his keynote address, Sood highlighted that the S&T clusters focuses on the translational aspects of research. While noting the collective strength of the clusters, he highlighted their potential to address regional challenges through synergistic S&T interventions. He hoped that with the clusters coming together in the meeting, more cross collaborating projects that are interdisciplinary and aligned with the national priorities will be taken up.

However, he emphasised on the need for the clusters sustainability in the long-run and therefore it is important that each cluster works towards their sustainability plan.

Collaboration with Deep Tech

Referring to the recently announced draft National Deep Tech Startup Policy, Sood suggested that clusters could collaborate effectively with Deep Tech startups operating under this policy framework.

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Parvinder Maini, scientific secretary, office of principal scientific adviser said, “Clusters have ignited entrepreneurship and innovation across the globe and have helped in breaking the boundaries of institutions.” She highlighted the S&T clusters’ role as shared ecosystems and regional solution providers, while promoting competitiveness on both national and global scales.