A high-level digital conference on ‘Rebooting the Economy through Science, Technology and Research Translations titled RESTART’ will be organised by Technology Development Board (TDB) a statutory body of the Department of Science & Technology (DST) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on Monday, May 11, 2020, to celebrate the National Technology Day.

Union Minister for Science & Technology, Health and Family Welfare and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan would be the Chief Guest for the occasion and will deliver the National Technology Day address. The programme will also include special addresses by Member, Science, NITI Aayog Dr V K Saraswat; Principal Scientific Advisor to Government of India, Prof. K. VijayRaghavan; Chief Scientist, WHO, Dr. Saumya Swaminathan; DST Secretary Prof. Ashutosh Sharma, and a few others and will be attended by other officials from TDB, DST and CII. Dr Renu Swarup, Secretary, Department of Biotechnolgy, Dr Shekhar C Mande, DG, CSIR and H.E. Mr Vincenzo de Luca, Ambassador of Italy to India will deliver special addresses in various sessions.

In the COVID 19 crisis, technology has been at the forefront of the battle against the pandemic. As the world adjusts to its new normal, business leaders world over are rethinking and devising new strategies to harness technologies that would help drive resilience and make them emerge from the crisis stronger.

Keeping in mind the need of the hour to formulate a comprehensive action plan to reboot the economy, TDB is celebrating National Technology Day, focusing on technological solutions towards that end. These technologies would include, medical technologies, advanced technologies and manufacturing that would prepare India for the post Covid-19 time.

The conference will bring together Scientists, Technocrats, Government officials, Diplomats, WHO officials and dignitaries from national and international Industry, Research Institutions and Academic Institutions on a single platform to share their insights on the role played by S & T in the global healthcare crisis and find solutions that not only address the current pandemic but will also help us in facing the challenges ahead.

The conference will have technical sessions on ‘Medicines & Medical Technologies’; ‘Advanced Materials – New Technology Horizons’;‘Advanced Manufacturing Technologies for Sustainable Future and Global Innovation’& Technology Alliance for Global Economic Leadership.

TDB, on behalf of the Ministry of Science & Technology, celebrates May 11 every year as National Technology Day to commemorate achievements of innovations and technological excellence in the country. The day has a historical perspective as it was on May 11, 1998, that India achieved a major technological breakthrough by successfully carrying out nuclear tests at Pokhran. Further, the first indigenous aircraft "Hansa-3" was test flown at Bangalore on this day; and India also performed successful test firing of the Trishul missile on the same day. Since 1999, the day is being celebrated as National Technology Day.

The celebration of Technology Day symbolizes India’s quest for scientific inquiry, technological creativity & innovations, and the integration of these developments into national socio-economic benefits and global presence.

Apart from the digital conference, a virtual exposition has been planned along with companies whose technologies have been supported by TDB. Various organizations and companies will be showcasing their products in the exposition through a digital B2B lounge. People from across the world can visit the stalls at the conference.

Interested participants can pre-register to attend the conference and exhibition using the link:https://www.ciidigitalevents.in/SignUp.aspx?EventId=E000000003.

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KGS/( DST)