Bhubaneswar, Jul 9: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday said India's future rests in the hands of its young scientists and urged them to ensure that their research and innovations contribute to the welfare of society.

Addressing the 15th Convocation of the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) in Bhubaneswar in the presence of Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, the Union minister congratulated the graduating students and called upon them to play a meaningful role in India's journey towards becoming a developed nation.

NISER Emerging as a Premier Scientific Institution
Pradhan said NISER has emerged as one of the country's most distinguished scientific institutions, noting that it is among the few educational establishments to have been visited by the Prime Minister, the President and now the Vice President within a relatively short span.

He recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the NISER campus in 2016, followed by a visit from President Droupadi Murmu, while Vice President Radhakrishnan's presence at the convocation further enhanced the institute's stature.

The Union minister also thanked NISER's Academic Council for honouring the Vice President with a Sambalpuri Ikat textile, saying the gesture showcased Odisha's rich cultural heritage on a national platform.

Odisha Becoming a Global Research Hub
Highlighting Bhubaneswar's growing prominence in scientific research, Pradhan said the city has evolved into an international research destination due to the presence of premier institutions such as AIIMS Bhubaneswar, the Institute of Physics (IOP), the Institute of Life Sciences (ILS), IIT Bhubaneswar, the Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT) and NISER.

He urged NISER to take a leadership role in strengthening collaborative research among these institutions.

The minister also announced that a cancer referral hospital and research centre would soon be established on the NISER campus, describing it as a significant step forward for medical research and healthcare.

Greater Participation of Women in STEM
Pradhan said India is witnessing increasing participation of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.

According to him, women account for 43 per cent of STEM enrolments nationally, while around 40 per cent of NISER's student population comprises women, which he described as an encouraging trend for the country's scientific ecosystem.

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Research Key to Developed India Vision
The Union minister said the Centre has earmarked Rs 1 lakh crore under the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) initiative to promote cutting-edge research and innovation as part of the vision of building a Developed India by 2047.

He expressed confidence that NISER would prepare an important roadmap for the proposed Rare Earth Corridor stretching from Odisha to Kerala, which he said could significantly contribute to India's strategic and industrial development.

Quoting former President APJ Abdul Kalam, Pradhan reminded students that "Applied knowledge transforms adversity into prosperity" and encouraged them to use scientific knowledge to solve real-world challenges.

Dignitaries Attend Convocation
The convocation was attended by Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh, Department of Atomic Energy Secretary and Chairman of the NISER Board of Governors Ajit Kumar Mohanty, NISER Director Hirendra Nath Ghosh, and Registrar and Dean (Academics) Pranaya Swain, among other dignitaries.