Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, and MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh today reviewed the progress and future roadmap of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), setting the direction for the next phase of India’s research ecosystem with a focus on mission-mode programmes, societal innovation and wider public access to scientific knowledge.

Emphasising the need to connect science with society, the Minister stressed that research outcomes must be presented in simple, easy-to-understand formats so that citizens can clearly see their relevance and impact. In this direction, ANRF is developing AI-based platform ‘SARAL AI’ to convert complex technology and research work into simple language social media content, including podcasts and short videos in 18 Indian languages, enabling wider dissemination of scientific knowledge across the country.

The review meeting was attended by DST Secretary Prof. Abhay Karandikar, ANRF CEO Dr. Shivkumar Kalyanaraman, Shri Sunil Kumar, Additional Secretary, DST and Dr Nishant Verma, Joint Secretary, ANRF along with senior officials and representatives from leading research and academic institutions.

It was informed that ANRF has launched multiple ‘MAHA’ (Mission for Advancement in High Impact Areas) programmes, designed as large-scale, mission-driven initiatives to deliver high-impact outcomes in priority sectors. These programmes bring together academia, industry and government in a structured manner to accelerate research from early technology readiness stage with clear national relevance.

Alongside, ANRF is set to introduce a dedicated MAHA program on “Leapfrog Demonstrators for Societal Innovation”, which will focus on accelerated development and demonstration of scalable, research- and technology-led solutions to key societal challenges such as pollution, climate resilience, disaster management, sports, biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, transportation & safety, smarter infrastructure, community health, radical energy efficiency, and economic inclusion.

The Foundation has witnessed strong national participation and has evaluated nearly 20,000 research applications in the last four months, including flagship horizontal schemes like the Advanced Research Grant (ARG) and the Prime Minister’s Early Career Research Grant (PM-ECRG), reflecting the growing strength and depth of India’s research ecosystem.

Emphasising the need to connect science with society, the Minister stressed that research outcomes must be presented in simple, easy-to-understand formats so that citizens can clearly see their relevance and impact. In this direction, ANRF is developing ‘SARAL AI’, an AI-based platform that demystifies and converts complex research publications and patents into podcasts, short videos, posters, business briefs, presentations and rich social media content in 18 Indian languages, enabling wider dissemination of scientific knowledge across the country.

To further expand outreach and visibility of Indian research, ANRF has launched the ANRF PMECRG Lightning Talk Series, providing a platform for researchers to share their work in concise and engaging formats. The Foundation is also actively promoting early-career and young researchers encouraging them to do webinars, use digital and social media platforms amplified by ANRF, generating significant public engagement.

As part of ongoing efforts to improve the ease of doing research, ANRF has introduced several measures to simplify processes and reduce administrative burden. This includes the appointment of nodal officers in around 250 institutions to support Principal Investigators and ensure smoother execution of research projects.

In addition, an ANRF WhatsApp and Arattai Channels have been launched to strengthen communication and provide real-time updates to the research community, improving accessibility to information and opportunities.

The meeting reaffirmed ANRF’s approach of focusing on fewer, well-structured flagship high-impact programmes with strong national relevance, while ensuring faster translation of research into real-world applications and wider dissemination of knowledge for public benefit.

PHOTO - Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh chairing a meeting of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), at Technology Bhawan, New Delhi, on Monday.

 

 

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