Can science festivals transform the future of innovation in India? My experience at #ISF2025 says YES!

The India Science Festival (ISF-2025), organized by @FASTIndia, was a remarkable event aimed at popularizing science among the masses. The festival brought together exceptional speakers, both national and international, and featured insightful talks, panel discussions, and interactive sessions that celebrated the wonders of science.

It was incredible to see students' curiosity during my talk on nanotechnology for climate change. Events like these can truly spark a love for science in the younger generation!

However, some challenges emerged, particularly with the audience. A significant number of Marathi-speaking school students struggled with comprehension due to language barriers and the technical level of certain talks, which were more suited for older students. Several teachers pointed out that such events need to cater more effectively to younger audiences and be conducted in regional languages to bridge these gaps.

Overall, #ISF2025 was a much-needed initiative to rekindle interest in science, especially in states like Maharashtra, where students often gravitate toward engineering and medicine.

Hosting similar festivals in local languages across India could further sensitize students and their parents to the critical role of science in societal and planetary well-being.
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#IndiaScienceFestival #Nanotechnology #ClimateChange #ScienceForAll #STEMEducation #PopularScience #SicenceInMarathi

It has been an outstanding week for the TIFR Nanocat group, driven by the remarkable efforts of our talented PhD students.

#On October 21st, SAIDEEP SINGH won the Best Poster Award at the IUPAC Green Chemistry Conference in Beijing, China, for his pioneering research on plasmonic catalysis and upconversion of waste plastics.

#On October 23rd, RISHI VERMA was recognized with the Best Oral Award at the CRSI-ACS Early Career Researchers Symposium 2024, where he presented his PhD thesis on plasmonic catalysis using the antenna-reactor concept.

#On October 24th, GUNJAN SHARMA secured the 5th Commonwealth Chemistry Poster Award for her work on hot electron-driven acetylene semi-hydrogenation using air-stable plasmonic nanoreactors of ‘black gold’ powered by sunlight.

#Finally on October 26th, GUNJAN SHARMA, has won The 2024 Nano Letters Seed Grant! This prestigious award highlights some of the most compelling nanoscience and nanotechnology innovations from graduate students around the world. Her work on plasmonic nanomaterials and catalytic CO2 conversion is truly groundbreaking. 

These achievements are a testament to the dedication, creativity, and hard work of these brilliant students, who are the true driving force behind making our group known globally.

Their groundbreaking research continues to elevate the reputation of the TIFR Nanocat group, showcasing our contribution to solving some of the most pressing challenges in catalysis and sustainability.

​Excited to see what the future holds!

The passing of Shri Ratan Tata is not just the loss of an extraordinary individual; it marks the end of an era in which Indian industrialists were central to nation-building, particularly in education, science, and healthcare. The Tata family’s contributions—founding institutions like the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), and Tata Memorial Hospital,—set a benchmark no other industrialists have yet approached.

In today's time, where quality education and breakthrough science are rapidly losing focus in our country (and we are trapped in the international scam of numbers and ranking), we sorely need more industrialists like the Tata family. Unfortunately, many of today’s wealthy industrialists spend lavishly on personal celebrations (e.g. thousands of crores for marriage), but invest little in the country's research and educational infrastructure. The Tata family stood apart, using their resources not for show, but for the betterment of society.

Ratan Tata’s death is a huge loss, not only because we have lost a remarkable personality--a true "Ratna" of Bharat—but because it symbolizes the fading of a culture where industrialists played a vital role in nation-building. Tata’s focus on advancing science, education, and health created a legacy unmatched in today’s India.

JRD Tata’s support of Homi Bhabha, which led to the creation of IISc, TIFR, BARC, and DAE, played a pivotal role in establishing India’s high-quality science & education and more importantly our nuclear capabilities. Without this, India’s strength on the global stage could have been very different. Today, we stand tall thanks to the Tata family’s vision and Bhabha’s leadership. However, after Bhabha, visionary leaders in science have been scarce, and after the Tatas, industrialists have largely failed to contribute to national development in the same way.

Respect and support for Indian scientists and professors is diminishing with time, a concerning trend for a nation with such great potential. We can only hope for the resurgence of visionaries like Homi Bhabha and industrial leaders like the Tatas to guide the country forward before it’s too late.

I will always treasure the moment when I presented our work on “nanotechnology to combat climate change” to Shri Ratan Tata and the TIFR council, invited by Prof. S. Ramakrishnan, the best former director TIFR has had in the last two decades.

Ratan Tata’s words of encouragement still resonate with me, a testament to his deep commitment to science and its role in the betterment of society.
 
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