Dr Harsh Vardhan exhorts the CSIR- Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR) Scientific community in Lucknow to “Dare to Dream Big and Work Towards Fulfilling that Dream”

New Delhi, April 26, 2016:Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr Harsh Vardhan, while addressing a distinguished gathering at the CSIR- Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR) Lucknow, appreciated the quality of work done by the institute in the context of environment and human health and in the areas of food safety and water quality. He envisaged that the CSIR – IITR should strive to be a one stop solution for the country against environment and health related problems.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan emphas
ized on the need to develop robust and cost effective technologies for the masses that are easily deployable so as to improve their quality of life. He said that India is a vast nation with diverse requirements and hence tailor made solutions is the need of the hour. The government is committed to the people for transferring technological benefits through enhanced R&D. He, while exhorting everyone to have a dream, said that the joy and satisfaction that comes from witnessing the fulfillment of a dream is beyond words, and cited his own experience with the Polio eradication programme.

The Minister unveiled a plaque to name the main building of the CSIR–IITR as ‘Vishvigyan Bhawan’ to mark the milestone of the institute celebrating its Golden Jubilee. He named the Auditorium and Seminar Hall of the institute as the Professor Sibte Hassan Zaidi Auditorium and Professor C. R. Krishnamurthy Seminar Hall respectively, in the honour of the first two directors of the institute. He also dedicated an Advanced Imaging Facility of the institute to the nation for being used in the area of nanomaterial toxicology and released the institute’s magazine ‘Vishvigyan Sandesh’.

Dr Harsh Vardhan took keen interest in visiting the different exhibits showcasing the institute’s R&D activities in an exhibition. He reviewed some of the technologies developed by the institute viz., CD Strip and Argemone detection Kit for the detection of adulterants in Mustard oil, portable water analysis kit, Bact-O-Kill for online disinfection of water etc. He also took keen interest in the environmental monitoring approaches and safety aspects of plastic products carried out by the institute.

Director, CSIR-IITR, Professor Alok Dhawan, made a detailed presentation to the Minister regarding the ongoing projects and the road map indicating CSIR – IITR’s role in public, private, strategic and social goods. He informed that the activities of the institute are aligned to the National Missions like Swachh Bharat, Swasth Bharat, Skill India, Namami Gange and Make in India.