National
2nd Semicon India FutureDESIGN Roadshow
⇒ The Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar launched the 2nd Semicon India FutureDESIGN Roadshow at IISc in Bengaluru on 24 February 2023.
Aim:
The Roadshow was launched with an aim to encourage startups, next-generation innovators, and business leaders to invest in semiconductor sector in India.
Key Points:
» The Minister also announced the launch of the ChipIN Centre at C-DAC India, Bangalore which will act as one stop centre to provide Semiconductor Design Tools, Fab access, Virtual Prototyping Hw Lab access to Fabless Chip Designers of the country.
» He also said that India AI Datasets program is going to be launched soon. It will be the world’s largest datasets program which will in turn catalyse the Intelligent compute, AI compute, device and the system design ecosystem.
» The Minister’s address was followed by an interactive session with members of the audience.
» Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar announced the first set of startups selected under the Semicon India Future Design DLI scheme.
- The startups are Vervesemi Microelectronics Pvt Ltd, Fermionic Design Pvt. Ltd. and DV2JS Innovation Ltd.
- The Scheme aims to offer financial incentives as well as design infrastructure support across various stages of development and deployment of semiconductor design(s) for Integrated Circuits (ICs), Chipsets, System on Chips (SoCs), Systems & IP Cores and semiconductor linked design(s) over a period of five years.
» The first event of this series was held at Karnavati University, Gujarat last year.
Baba Saheb Ambedkar Yatra tour package under “Dekho Apna Desh” initiative
⇒ To mark the birth anniversary of Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, IRCTC launched the Baba Saheb Ambedkar Yatra tour package on April 14, 2023, under the “Dekho Apna Desh” initiative, covering some of the prominent sites associated with the life of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar.
- The first journey of the Baba Saheb Ambedkar Yatra started from New Delhi in April 14, 2023.
- The 07 nights and 08 days Bharat Gaurav Tourist train tour started from Delhi and the first halt was Dr Ambedkar Nagar (Mhow) in Madhya Pradesh, the birthplace of Baba Saheb (Bhim Janam Bhoomi). Then the train left for Nagpur from Mhow and reached the final destination Gaya via Sanchi, Varanasi. The tour finally terminated at New Delhi.
» Under “Dekho Apna Desh” initiative, Ministry of Railways along with Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), is operating Bharat Gaurav Tourist Trains on various theme-based circuits across India.
About Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar:
- Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, popularly known as Babasaheb Ambedkar, is widely revered as one of the architects of the Indian Constitution.
- Dr Ambedkar was appointed as India’s first Law Minister. He was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, in 1990. The birthday of this great individual is celebrated as Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14.
Borthekera found to have cardioprotective potential
⇒ Garcinia pedunculata, a medicinal plant commonly called ‘Borthekera’ in the Assamese language, traditionally forbidden for raw consumption, has been found to protect from heart diseases.
- Administration of the dried pulp of the ripe fruit of the medicinal plant reduced cardiac hypertrophy indicators and oxidative stress and heart inflammation brought on by ISO.
» The sun-dried slices of the ripe fruit are used for culinary and medicinal purposes and are known to have therapeutic properties like anti-inflammatory, anthelmintic, antibacterial, antifungal, antidiabetic, hypolipidemic, nephroprotective, and even neuroprotective activity.
- With scientific interventions seeking proof of these claims, multiple studies have been reported that G. pedunculata is a rich source of antioxidants. However, the cardioprotective potential has yet to be explored earlier.
» Scientists of Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), explored this medicinal plant’s potential to prevent heart diseases.
- A double dosage of bioactive chloroform fraction (GC) of the herb was fed to Wistar rats at 24-hour intervals (85mg/kg body weight (BW) for 28 days.
International
G20 RIIG Inception Meeting
⇒ The Inception meeting of G20 RIIG was held on February 8-9, 2023 in Kolkata, West Bengal. Indonesia and Brazil are Troika members during India’s G20 Presidency this year.
- The meeting brought together scientists & administrators from different areas together to discuss research and innovation for an equitable society.
Participation:
A total of 36 foreign delegates representing 20 countries and International Organisations, namely Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, European Union, France, Germany, Indonesia, International Solar Alliance (ISA), Italy, Netherlands, Republic of Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Turkiye, UAE, United Kingdom, and the United States of America – participated in the Inception meeting.
- About 40 Indian delegates and special invitees from various scientific departments/ organisations of the Government of India participated in the meeting.
Theme:
The RIIG theme which India has chosen is “Research and Innovation for Equitable Society”.
» Within the broad theme “Research and Innovation for Equitable Society” for RIIG 2023, the deliberations focus on four priority areas –
- Materials for Sustainable Energy;
- Circular-bio-economy;
- Eco-Innovations for Energy Transition;
- Scientific Challenges and Opportunities towards Achieving a Sustainable Blue Economy
About RIIG:
- Research and Innovation Initiative Gathering (RIIG) aims to enhance, intensify, and strengthen research and innovation collaboration among the G20 member countries. It reflects the government’s focus on designing frameworks that generate new markets and sustain macroeconomic growth, enabling the research and innovation ecosystem. RIIG is furthering the work of the Academic Forum held during the Italian Presidency in 2021, by bringing together science, technology, and innovation experts of the G20 member countries.
- RIIG aims to address the challenges of achieving socioeconomic equity through research and innovation. It proposes the establishment of a G20 Working Group on Research, Innovation, and Equity, which would bring together leading economic powers to address these challenges.
- The goal is to promote international scientific cooperation and develop sustainable solutions for science-driven equity, by sharing best practices, collaborating on research projects, and developing policies to promote equitable access to the benefits of research and innovation.
2nd RIIG EVENT (CSIR)
⇒ The second Research and Innovation Initiative Gathering (RIIG) event was held in Ranchi, Jharkhand on March 2-3, 2023.
- The conference discussed mechanisms to collaborate and work for sustainable energy technologies.
Participation:
A total of 21 foreign delegates from 16 G20 member countries, guest countries and international organisations participated in the conference along with about 40 Indian experts.
- The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi coordinated the Conference.
Discussion:
Delegates deliberated on ways of working jointly to solve the energy challenges collectively to achieve carbon emission net-zero goals for environmental protection and sustainability at the G20 Conference on Materials for Sustainable Energy.
Various facets of ‘Materials for Sustainable Energy’ were discussed under three sessions –
- 21st-century challenges related to energy materials & devices;
- Solar energy utilisation and photovoltaic technology;
- Materials and processes for green energy.
Dr. S. Chandrasekhar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology (DST) and RIIG Chair, said that many G20 nations, including India, have enormous minerals and materials wealth that is required to be sustainably used for meeting our energy requirements.
» As G20 delegates from Indonesia and Brazil, the other two troika countries reiterated the importance of the conference, delegates from several countries called upon the G20 nations to join hands for furthering research and developing technological solutions in sustainable energy storage, distribution and management.