37th Kerala Science Congress to begin in Thrissur on Saturday 

The 37th Kerala Science Congress will begin on Saturday at Kerala Agricultural University, Vellanikkara, Thrissur.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will officially inaugurate the event at M.S. Swaminathan Hall at 10 a.m. The Chief Minister will also present prestigious awards, including the Chief Minister’s Gold Medal, the Dr. S. Vasudev Award, Science Literature Awards, and the Best Researcher Award, recognising outstanding contributions in the field of science.

Revenue Minister K. Rajan will release the compilation of research papers and posters to be presented at the Congress. The event will be presided over by K.P. Sudheer, Principal Secretary, Department of Science and Technology. M.K. Jayaraj, chairperson of the Science Congress, will deliver the keynote address on the Congress’s objectives and significance.

B. Ashok, Vice-Chancellor of Kerala Agricultural University, and M. C. Dathan, the Chief Minister’s Science Advisor, will address the gathering. Two keynote lectures on the theme ‘Technological Transformation for a Green Future’ will follow the inaugural function.

The Science Congress is by the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology, and Environment (KSCSTE), Thiruvananthapuram; the Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi; and Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur.

National science exhibition

A National Science Exhibition, organised as part of the Science Congress, began at the Madhavan Nagar grounds of Kerala Agricultural University on Friday. The exhibition will continue until February 10, coinciding with the Congress’s closing ceremony.

The exhibition features 160 stalls from premier research institutions, including Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC); the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram; ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute; ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research; Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory; Indian Rubber Research Institute; and Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET). State-run research bodies under the KSCSTE such as the Kerala Forest Research Institute, Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute, State Water Resources Development and Research Centre, Malabar Botanical Garden and Institute of Plant Sciences, Srinivasa Ramanujan Institute for Basic Sciences, and the National Transportation Planning and Research Institute are also participating.

Additionally, organisations such as Oushadhi, the State Medicinal Plants Board, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, Farm Information Bureau, M.S. Swaminathan Research Centre, Integrated Rural Technology Centre, WWF for Nature, and the Forest and Wildlife Department are also showcasing their work.

Entry to the exhibition is free. The exhibition will provide an opportunity for students and the public to explore advancements in science and technology and interact with leading scientists, according to the organisers.