On the occasion of the 85th Foundation Day of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Dr Jitendra Singh, Hon’ble Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Science & Technology, launched five new popular science magazines in Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Bengali and Assamese, published by the CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR).
The magazines- বিজ্ঞান লহৰ (Bigyan Lahar) in Assamese, বিজ্ঞান বৃত্তান্ত (Bigyan Brittanto) in Bengali, विज्ञान क्षितिज (Vidnyan Kshitij) in Marathi, அறிவியல் அறிக்கையாளர் (Ariviyal Arikkaiyalar) in Tamil, and విజ్ఞాన్ వెలుగు (Vigyan Velugu) in Telugu- mark an important expansion of CSIR-NIScPR’s popular science publishing portfolio. The launch builds upon the Institute’s long-standing tradition of science communication through its flagship magazines Science Reporter (English), Vigyan Pragati(Hindi) and Science ki Duniya (Urdu).
The launch ceremony was graced by the presence of Dr N. Kalaiselvi, Director General, CSIR & Secretary, DSIR, and Dr Geetha Vani Rayasam, Director, CSIR-NIScPR. CSIR-NIScPR’s initiative seeks to make credible and engaging scientific knowledge accessible to readers in their respective languages, while also highlighting scientific achievements, innovations and developments from the respective regions.
A distinctive feature of the initiative is the use of cutting-edge technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, to facilitate the translation of selected content from CSIR-NIScPR’s existing popular science magazines (Vigyan Pragati, Science Reporter and Science Ki Duniya). The AI-assisted translations are subsequently reviewed, proofread, fact-checked and editorially refined by human experts, ensuring scientific accuracy, linguistic quality and readability. Alongside translated content, the magazines also carry original articles written in the respective Indian languages, thereby encouraging and strengthening science writing in these languages and relevant achievements of the region.
The publication of these five magazines has been coordinated by Shri Mukesh Ambadas Pund and Dr Meher Wan, with the dedicated contributions and tireless efforts of the respective editors, editorial teams, design team and other institutional staff. The editors and editorial representatives present at the launch included Dr Paramananda Barman, Editor, and Dr Bornali Sharma, Associate Editor, Bigyan Lahar (Assamese); Dr Uttam Kumar Jana, Editor, Bigyan Brittanto (Bengali); Shri Mukesh Ambadas Pund, Editor, Vidnyan Kshitij (Marathi); Dr S. Bhuvanesh, Editor, and Dr L. Sandhiya, Associate Editor, Ariviyal Arikkaiyalar (Tamil) and Dr N. K. Prasanna, Editor, Vigyan Velugu (Telugu).
The launch represents another significant step by CSIR-NIScPR towards taking science to wider sections of society and supporting the vision of an inclusive, multilingual and scientifically informed India. CSIR’s 85th Foundation Day itself marks 84 years of the organisation’s contribution to science, technology and national development.
Hon’ble S&T Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh launching popular science magazines in five Indian languages, published by CSIR-NIScPR, on the occasion of CSIR's 85th Foundation Day celebrations.