Wed Oct 15 09:15:32 UTC 2025: **News Article:**

**India Aims for Self-Reliant Science Ecosystem, Says Minister Singh**

**Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala – October 15, 2025** – Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh today called for a paradigm shift in India’s approach to science and technology, advocating for a self-sustaining ecosystem driven by both government and private sector participation.

Speaking at the golden jubilee celebrations of the CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST), Singh emphasized the need to break down traditional silos and embrace a “whole of government, whole of science, and whole of nation” strategy. He highlighted the recent opening of previously restricted sectors like space and nuclear energy to private players as a key step in this direction.

“The age of silos is over,” Singh declared, praising NIIST’s interdisciplinary nature as a testament to its founders’ futuristic vision. He urged the institute to continue to evolve and reach “the next level” of scientific advancement.

CSIR-NIIST Director C. Anandharamakrishnan echoed this sentiment, outlining the institute’s ambition to become an “International Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology.”

During the event, Singh unveiled “Vidyut Swasthya,” a novel pedal-assisted exercise system that converts human energy into electricity for charging devices. The institute also launched the Golden Jubilee Innovation Centre, the ‘ANANDHA’ AI and machine learning laboratory, and an eco-restoration project for the Padmatheertham Pond.

Furthermore, NIIST transferred its Al-Mg-Sc alloy technology and signed MoUs for sustainable wastewater management in houseboats and smart tyres.

The event was attended by prominent figures including Krishna Ella (Bharat Biotech), Dipankar Banerjee (Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology), and Rajeev Chandrasekhar (BJP Kerala State president). They joined in the call for greater collaboration and innovation in the Indian science and technology landscape.

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