Vigyanika 2025 Celebrates Science, Literature & Indian Languages at IISF

The second day opened with the thematic session “Vigyan Se Samruddhi – For Atmanirbhar Bharat”, focusing on India’s traditional knowledge systems and their role in strengthening national self-reliance.

The CSIR–National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR–NIScPR), New Delhi, in collaboration with Vijnana Bharti (VIBHA), the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, and Panjab University, Chandigarh, successfully organised Vigyanika: Science Literature Festival 2025 on 8–9 December 2025. Held as a prominent component of the India International Science Festival (IISF) 2025, the two-day festival celebrated the fusion of science, literature, culture, and communication in India.

The festival brought together leading scientists, editors, researchers, educators, and science poets from across India, focusing on strengthening India’s scientific temper through culturally rooted, multilingual approaches.

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Day 1: Exploring Indian Narratives in Science Communication

The festival commenced with an inaugural session titled “Bhartiya Vigyan Vimarsh me Sahitya aur Sanchar Madhyamo ki Bhoomika”, which examined the role of literature and communication platforms in shaping India’s scientific discourse.

Key speakers included:

• Dr. Paramananda Barman (CSIR–NIScPR) – Presented an overview of Vigyanika’s objectives.

• Dr. Neel Sarovar Bhavesh (VIBHA) – Emphasized contextualising science communication within Indian traditions and realities.

• Shri Vivekananda Pai, General Secretary, VIBHA (Keynote Address) – Advocated for a strong Indian narrative in science communication and highlighted India’s contributions to scientific progress.

• Prof. Arun Kumar Grover, Former Vice-Chancellor, Panjab University – Reflected on the historical development of India’s scientific institutions and communication efforts.

• Dr. Geetha Vani Rayasam, Director, CSIR–NIScPR – Outlined CSIR–NIScPR’s national role in promoting science communication.

• Dr. Rashmi Sharma, Head, NCSTC, DST – Discussed contemporary SciComm methodologies.

The inaugural day concluded with the vibrant Vigyan Kavi Sammelan, where renowned science poets—including Prof. Manoj Kumar Patairiya, Prof. Rajesh Kumar, Shri Mohan Sagoria, Ms. Radha Gupta, Prof. Neera Raghav, Yashpal Singh ‘Yash’, TSRS Sandeep, and Dr. Anurag Gaur—demonstrated how poetry can serve as a powerful medium for scientific outreach and public engagement.

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Day 2: Traditional Knowledge, Atmanirbhar Bharat & Indian Languages

The second day opened with the thematic session “Vigyan Se Samruddhi – For Atmanirbhar Bharat”, focusing on India’s traditional knowledge systems and their role in strengthening national self-reliance.

Key speakers included:

• Dr. Arvind Ranade, Director, NIF – Advocated for protecting traditional knowledge through intellectual property frameworks and honoring knowledge holders.

• Dr. Viswajanani J. Sattigeri, Head, CSIR–TKDL – Stressed the need for scientific documentation and policy alignment.

• Dr. N. Srikanth, DDG, CCRAS – Highlighted value addition and precise communication of traditional knowledge.

• Dr. Kanupriya Vashishth, DBT-BIRAC – Spoke on India’s growing leadership in life sciences and biotechnology innovation.

A dedicated panel, Apni Bhasha Apna Vigyan, emphasized the vital role of Indian languages in science outreach. Speakers—including Prof. Arun Kumar Grover, Shri Debobrat Ghose (Science India), Dr. Manish Mohan Gore (Vigyan Pragati), Dr. H. S. Sudhira (Research Matters), and Dr. Nanaocha Sharma (BRIC-IBSD)—explained how the use of Indian languages enhances accessibility, inclusivity, and deeper public understanding of scientific concepts.

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Creative Science Communication: Showcasing Innovation

The festival concluded with an interactive session titled Engaging and Creative Ways of Communicating Science, featuring demonstrations of diverse outreach strategies:

• Shri Kollegala Sharma, former Chief Scientist, CSIR–CFTRI – Highlighted storytelling-driven science communication.

• Mr. G. Harikrishnan, ISRO – Presented dynamic public outreach approaches in space science.

• Dr. Saurabh Sharma, JNU – Discussed academic pathways for student engagement.

• Ms. Pooja Rathod, Wildlife Filmmaker – Showcased audio-visual media as a tool for science education.

These discussions spotlighted new and evolving frontiers in Indian SciComm, from digital media to grassroots engagement.

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A Festival Bridging Science and Society

As part of IISF 2025, Vigyanika 2025 reinforced its goal of reducing the gap between science and citizens by using Indian languages, literature, poetry, storytelling, and creative outreach. The festival showcased how culturally grounded communication strengthens scientific understanding, inspires curiosity, and supports a scientifically informed society.