My address on "#NationalScienceDay2026". This year's theme “Women in Science: Catalyzing Viksit Bharat": "Over the last one decade, India’s scientific ecosystem has sought to nurture talent across gender and geography. Growing representation of women in research, leadership positions and innovation-driven sectors, enabled by both policy support and institutional reforms. Of the over 2 lakh registered #StartUps in the country registered today, 35 to 40 % are women led and a large number of them hail from Tier 2 and 3 cities. World acclaimed missions like "Aditya Solar" and Chandrayaan are led by women. Women in science, therefore,  are no longer mere participants but powerful "catalysts" in India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat. Empowering young girl students from adolescent age onwards through structured exposure to laboratories and research institutions has created a multiplier effect in recent years, and is growing further.

Reviewed the 2026 plan as well as long-term future roadmap of Council of Scientific & Industrial Research #CSIR, at its Anusandhan Bhavan headquarters.  CSIR has an ambitious plan to develop indigenous capabilities in critical aerospace technologies, with a future bearing on the country's  self-reliance in the aviation sector as well as overall economic growth. CSIR aligned with the whole of science ecosystem, enriched by some of the pathbreaking Modi 3.0 decisions like Rs 1 Lakh Crore RDI Fund, Anusandhan National Research Foundation, relaxation of 3 year eligibility clause for new StartUps to seek financial loans and the historic SHANTI Act opening up the Nuclear sector to private players. Efforts have been upscaled to translate technology driven innovation into jobs, #StartUps and overall societal benefit.