Jitendra Singh to lay foundation for national projects at CSIR-NIIST

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 16 (IANS) Union Minister for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh will lay the foundation for the Centre of Excellence in Ayurveda Research at the CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST) here on, Thursday as one of the milestone projects to mark the Golden Jubilee of the premier institute. 

The move is being viewed as a major step towards the global outreach of Ayurveda backed by scientific validation and standardisation.

Union Minister Singh will also lay the foundation for the Centre of Excellence in Performance Chemicals and Sustainable Polymers for Industrial Application while inaugurating the year-long Golden Jubilee celebrations on the CSIR-NIIST campus.

The Centre of Excellence in Ayurveda Research is envisaged as a premier facility for scientific validation, standardisation and global promotion of Ayurvedic products, making them compliant with international quality, safety and efficacy standards, considering the worldwide acceptance of the holistic Indian system of wellness.

The centre will leverage advanced R&D methods and tools to ensure that Ayurvedic formulations meet the needs of modern wellness paradigms and global healthcare systems.

"With the growing global acceptance of Ayurveda, ensuring the safety, efficacy, and quality of Ayurvedic medicines is vital. The need for validation of Ayurvedic drugs is critical to align them with international standards. The new Centre aims to address this challenge," said CSIR-NIIST, Director C Anandharamakrishnan.

The facility will support Ayush enterprises, including MSMEs, to strengthen their product portfolios, particularly in Ayurveda, at a time when the global wellness industry is projected to grow exponentially.

This initiative will help position Kerala as a global hub for high-quality Ayurvedic products.

The Centre of Excellence in Performance Chemicals and Sustainable Polymers for Industrial Application aligns with India’s goal of becoming the world's third-largest economy by 2030, focusing on the need to strengthen Research & Development to reduce the dependence on imports by fostering domestic production in chemical and polymer sectors.

Performance chemicals are critical in the development of optoelectronic devices and energy technologies, driving innovations that enhance functionality, efficiency, and self-reliance in these contemporary areas of interest.

CSIR-NIIST has a four-decade-long expertise in chemicals and polymers for multifarious applications, with a thorough knowledge base. The centre on the campus will have a team of over 13 scientists, led by Anandharamakrishnan.