
Thu Oct 02 14:55:24 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:
**SARAL Tool Aims to Democratize Science in India**
**NEW DELHI, October 2, 2025** – The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), India’s newly established science funding agency, has unveiled SARAL (Simplified and Automated Research Amplification and Learning), an innovative AI-powered tool designed to make complex scientific research accessible to the general public.
Announced by ANRF CEO Shivkumar Kalyanaraman at a Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry meeting, SARAL leverages artificial intelligence to generate easy-to-understand summaries, videos, podcasts, posters, and presentations from dense research publications. This initiative aims to bridge the gap between scientific findings and public understanding.
The ANRF is also focused on cultivating “deep science and engineering” to foster the development of “deep tech products and start-ups.” According to Mr. Kalyanaraman, the organization is developing an “AI Science and Engineering Open India Stack” that is expected to significantly influence areas such as drug discovery, aerospace design, climate and weather modeling, and advanced materials development.
This initiative follows the Union Cabinet’s approval in July of a ₹1 lakh crore Research Development and Innovation Scheme, which provides low-interest, long-term loans to private companies investing in core research and development.
The ANRF is envisioned as a single-window clearance mechanism for funding research and development in universities and academic institutions, with approximately 70% of its budget expected to come from private sources. The Foundation’s governing council will play a pivotal role in evaluating which sectors will receive funding under this program.
The ANRF effectively absorbs much of the role previously held by the Science and Engineering Research Board in funding scientific research within India. The introduction of SARAL and the focus on deep tech development signal a significant shift towards democratizing science and fostering innovation within the country.