VP Inaugurates Panjab University Research Facilities

• Advanced research facility and PU Tech Innovation Forum inaugurated

• Five modern scientific instruments added to strengthen research infrastructure

• Vice President urges students to support a Nasha Mukt Bharat

• Campus safety must remain the University’s highest priority, he says

GG News Bureau
Chandigarh, 4th Sept: Vice-President of India and Ex-officio Chancellor of Panjab University C. P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated the Advanced Instrumentation Facility at the Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facility/Central Instrumentation Laboratories (SAIF/CIL) and the Panjab University Tech Innovation Forum (PU-TIF) during his visit to the University on Friday.

The newly inaugurated facilities are expected to strengthen Panjab University’s academic, applied and translational research ecosystem by providing advanced analytical infrastructure, incubation support and entrepreneurial opportunities for researchers, innovators and industry stakeholders.

Addressing the gathering, the Vice-President recalled the University’s legacy since its establishment in 1882 and highlighted its contribution to nation-building through generations of scientists, jurists, public servants, sportspersons and national leaders.

Radhakrishnan said India is increasingly emerging as a global destination for quality education, scientific research and innovation. He called upon the University community to work collectively towards transforming Panjab University into a world-class institution of higher education and research.

The Advanced Instrumentation Facility includes five major scientific instruments — Atomic Force Microscope, Raman Spectrometer, DNA Sequencer, Flow Cytometer and FTIR Spectrometer — which will enhance research capabilities in nanotechnology, materials science, environmental science and genomics.

Highlighting innovation and entrepreneurship, the Vice-President said the transformation of Bio-NEST into the Panjab University Tech Innovation Forum as a Section 8 not-for-profit company marks an important institutional step in promoting technology development, startup incubation and collaboration between academia, industry, investors and innovators.

He urged young researchers to pursue science with purpose and develop scalable, inclusive innovations capable of addressing real societal challenges. He emphasised that research should ultimately benefit society and contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat and Atmanirbhar Bharat.

On campus safety, Radhakrishnan said the University had been directed to conduct a comprehensive safety audit following the recent death of a Ph.D. student. He said an internal committee had been constituted to review existing infrastructure and submit a detailed report, stressing that the safety and well-being of students and staff must remain the University’s foremost priority.

The Vice-President also appealed to students to stay away from substance abuse and actively contribute towards building a Nasha Mukt Bharat, encouraging them to inspire their families and friends to do the same.

Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh Gulab Chand Kataria, Governor of Haryana Prof. Ashim Kumar Ghosh, Lok Sabha MP Manish Tiwari, Panjab University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Meenakshi Goyal and other dignitaries attended the programme.