*Inaugurates curtain raiser event of IISF
Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, Dec 8: Union Minister of Science and Technology Dr Harsh Vardhan today inaugurated the curtain raiser event of 6th India International Science Festival (IISF) – 2020 at Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR), Leh-Ladakh.
Speaking on the occasion through virtual platform, Dr Harsh Vardhan briefed the audience about the importance and relevance of celebrating this festival and asked all the stakeholders to promote and make Science and Technology (S&T) reach to every remote location of the country.
He further emphasized the importance of S&T in realizing the theme of 6th IISF to “make India self reliant and contribute in global welfare”. He recognized the contribution the Institute (DIHAR) is making in terms of R&D to improve the agro-animal development of Ladakh region.
India International Science Festival (IISF) launched in 2015 is a celebration to promote S&T and demonstrate how science could lead India towards a developed nation within a short span of time. The IISF 2020 is the sixth of the series, organized continuously since 2015-2019.
Lt Governor of Ladakh UT, R K Mathur in his address briefed about the role of S&T to improve the socio-economic standard of population as well as its inherent capacity to reach every corner of our country, irrespective of challenging physical boundaries. “This becomes more relevant in Ladakh like region, where the prevailing harsh environment throws great challenge for sustenance of humans and animal,” he asserted.
Mathur said that S&T has immensely helped to make livelihood in Ladakh more comfortable for the general public and remunerative for the local farmers, for which contribution of DIHAR is commendable. He also briefed about the huge potential to exploit renewable energy sources of Ladakh to make the region self sustainable with zero carbon emission.
Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, MP Ladakh, in his address, briefed about contributions made by DIHAR by developing suitable technologies to increase the availability of vegetable diversity in Ladakh. Endeavors like this, utilizing the potential of S&T has to be disseminated in various other domains and far flung locations.
Dr AK Singh, DS &DG (LS) DRDO, mentioned about the importance of taking science out of R&D premises to the actual field locations, so that livelihood of the population is made healthier, economical and sustainable.
Dr OP Chaurasia, Director DIHAR, in his welcome address, mentioned about the importance of organizing such an event in remote location of Ladakh.
Follow our WhatsApp channel