PNS|Hyderabad
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh said it’s time for Indian science to break barriers and work closely with industry, investors and the public. He stressed the need to connect innovation with industry for sustainable development.
Speaking at the Startup Conclave organised by CSIR-IICT, CSIR-CCMB and CSIR-NGRI, he appreciated the joint effort of Hyderabad’s CSIR labs, calling it a step toward Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of inclusive innovation. Dr Jitendra urged labs to be more open and involve the public. He noted that science should not stay behind gates. If your work is in agriculture, invite farmers to see it. He highlighted the success of CSIR’s Aroma Mission, where over 3,000 youth became entrepreneurs, earning up to Rs 60 lakh annually.
In 2014, India had just 50 biotech startups. Today, there are over 10,000, and the sector’s value has grown from $10 billion to nearly $170 billion. Dr Singh said this shows India’s progress in innovation. He called for less compartmentalisation in science and more joint meetings between departments. He also spoke about opening up the nuclear sector and sharing research for better collaboration.
Dr Singh concluded by saying Hyderabad, with its strong science and tech ecosystem, can lead India’s innovation journey.
He added that real change comes from sustainable, industry-backed startups and public-private partnerships.
