CSIR: 80 years of contribution to Indian S&T
The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has been a central player for many decades in India’s pursuit of science that has global significance, technology that enables innovation, and industry collaborations that nurture trans-disciplinary leadership,
The Government of India established CSIR on 26 September 1942, as an autonomous institution to foster scientific knowledge that would aid in the development of India’s industry and economy. It has expanded to become one of the world’s largest network of government-funded R&D laboratories.
Over the past 80 years, CSIR scientists have proven time and time again that their work is essential to the development of new scientific fields. CSIR employs thousands of scientists, researchers, and support staff who work tirelessly to maintain a nationwide system of laboratories and field stations. Among India’s many prestigious research facilities are the National Aerospace Laboratories in Bengaluru, the National Institute of Oceanography in Goa, the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad, the National Botanical Research Institute in Lucknow, the Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute in Pilani, and the Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research in Dhanbad.
During CSIR’s early days, an eminent researcher whose name became synonymous with its rapid growth was Dr Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar. His tenure as the first Director and later Director-General of CSIR saw the establishment of twelve national laboratories during that time frame. After India’s independence, he helped shape the country’s science and technology policy, and contributed to the development of the country’s scientific and technological infrastructure.
The contributions of CSIR to India and the world at large are many, starting with the indelible ink used to mark the finger of a person who has voted in elections – a hallmark of India’s democratic fabric – the development of components for the light combat aircraft (LCA) called Tejas, and the supercomputer Flosolver in 1986, when India’s first parallel computer was constructed. The success of Flosolver inspired other parallel computing initiatives in the nation, such as PARAM. The development of a relatively affordable antiretroviral drug combination for treating HIV infection, which resulted in price reductions from established medication manufacturers, and the coordination of expeditions to and research studies in Antarctica were also examples of CSIR scientists working to leave a mark on India’s science and technology endeavours.
CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories in Bengaluru (Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons)
Healthcare and nutrition
There are many fascinating tales to be told about CSIR’s R&D efforts. Take, for example, its contribution to nutrition. Baby food in India had to be imported in the 1970s. Some global corporations rejected India’s suggestion that they set up their manufacturing plants in the country because India did not produce enough cow’s milk, and buffalo milk contains too much fat. This is when CSIR stepped in and developed a method to produce infant food from buffalo milk with high digestibility. This technology was handed over to Kaira Milk Producers Cooperative Limited, which planted the seeds for what would become the infant milk food industry.
CSIR labs have also contributed to developments related to healthcare. In 2000, when the first map of the human genome containing 3.2 billion bases was revealed, an alliance called GenoMed was created between CSIR’s then Centre for Biochemical Technology (now IGIB) and Nicholas Piramal India. It was the first knowledge alliance of its sort between an Indian pharmaceutical business and CSIR for the highest knowledge fee in the organisation’s history. The partnership, which bolstered CSIR’s reputation, was the first of its kind to enable low-cost healthcare for the people of India, using information gleaned from the human genome. It has aided the discovery of treatments for many ailments, including cancer. Mining the data of clinically actionable pharmacogenetic variants has allowed for numerous improvements in healthcare, including the detection of markers for carrier screening, the identification of variations causing genetic diseases, the prevention of adverse events, and improved diagnosis and optimal therapy.
CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology in Delhi (Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons)
CSIR has also contributed significantly to the fight against HIV. It is estimated that 20 million people worldwide are affected by AIDS. A combination of expensive anti-HIV drugs is the only possible treatment currently available. CSIR research on alternative and cheaper manufacturing processes allowed the pharma company Cipla to develop more cost-effective methods of producing the drug combination and then distribute it in India and other developing countries for a fraction of the market price. Cipla’s aggressive strategy not only resulted in price reductions by international competitors but also drew attention to the global need for low-cost life-saving pharmaceuticals for the poor, ultimately leading to the DOHA Declaration, which promotes both access to existing medicines and development of new ones.
Energy
Over the years, CSIR has been working on collecting and analysing data on the state of air quality in India’s major cities, and on computational models of vehicular air pollution. This was critical to the establishment of India’s National Auto Fuel Policy in 2002. CSIR researchers began focusing on fuel cell technology the same year, and the organisation’s fuel cell bus was wholly conceived and produced in-house.
The first Indian hydrogen fuel cell bus was created by the private sector in partnership with the CSIR’s National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL) and the CSIR Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CSIR-CECRI). The National Hydrogen Mission was launched by the Government of India in March 2022, and this bus was built in the four months leading up to its debut.
Future
In recent years, CSIR has also been diversifying into other areas, such as radio and space physics, and oceanography. The technologies and innovations developed at CSIR continue to have a positive impact on society. Among the largest contributors to India’s science output, CSIR’s 38 research institutions have published 99,430 scientific papers between 2001 and 2020, according to Current Science. This makes for a contribution of 10.32% of the total research output among major central institutions.
The choice of distinguished electrochemical scientist Nallathamby Kalaiselvi as the first woman Director-General of the CSIR in 2022 was also a glass ceiling-shattering moment. Dr Kalaiselvi is well-known for her work in the field of lithium-ion batteries, as well as supercapacitors and waste-to-wealth-driven electrodes and electrolytes for energy storage and electrocatalytic applications.
Given its track record of fostering the nation’s scientific and technological capabilities, the Prime Minister has now tasked CSIR with developing an “Ease of Conducting Technology Business” platform to involve the right people in ensuring that technologies help the right people. CSIR is also spearheading efforts related to the “Blue Economy,” a term for the economic benefits of the marine environment, on the government’s mandate this year by focusing on technology and deep-sea missions.
CSIR’s investment in translational R&D, as well as focus on the quality of services provided to stakeholders, have ensured that it contributed significantly to the country’s growth and development.
– Aditya Anand