What: National Technology Day
When: May 11
Why: To remind ourselves of the transformative power of science & technology
Theme: Science and Technology for Sustainable Future
- The 20th National Technology Day was celebrated across India on May 11, 2018.
- The theme for this year’s National Technology Day was, ‘Science and Technology for Sustainable Future.’
- The President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind addressed the celebration at Vigyan Bhawan. During his address the President said that finances and resources must be available to all technologists who wish to turn entrepreneurs and to migrate from the lab room to the shop floor. The President pointed out that gender equity must be integrated with technology production.
- Shri Kovind highlighted that the new technologies have three common attributes – (i) they offer solutions that are necessary in the Indian context and contribute to the social and economic needs of our people, (ii) they achieve all this at competitive price points and (iii) they do not compromise on quality.
- Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan said that “National Technology Day” is an occasion to remind ourselves of the transformative power of science & technology for the nation and society.
- The President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind presented awards of the Technology Development Board in three categories.
- Category A – For successful commercialization of indigenous technology: Agappe Diagnostics Ltd, Erankulam, Kerala for Mispa 13, an automated cartridge-based protein analyzer and Bharat Biotech International Ltd, Hyderabad, for Rotavirus vaccine – ROTAVAC.
- Category B – For successful technology commercialization by MSME.
- Category C – For Technology Start-up.
- Dr. Harsh Vardhan also launched three initiatives to mark the celebrations. The initiatives include –
- (i) Commercial launch of an electric charger made possible by support of Technology Development Board.
- (ii) Launch of the India, Science, Technology and Innovation web portal, which will have a 360° connect to all the activities of human resources, institutions, students, industry, public and private sector and all the other stakeholders of science and technology ecosystem.
- (iii) The third initiative is a web portal of Survey of India that allows the sharing of the digital map to every citizen of the country, to enable decision making for planning, development and governance.
About National Technology Day
- The celebration of National Technology Day symbolizes India’s quest for scientific inquiry, technological creativity & innovations; and the integration of these developments into national socio-economic benefits and global presence.
- The Day has a historical perspective, as it was on the May 11, 1998, that India achieved a major technological breakthrough by successfully carrying out nuclear tests at Pokhran.
- Further, the first indigenous aircraft “Hansa-3” was test-flown at Bangalore on this day and India also performed the successful test firing of the Trishul missile on the same day.
- Since 1999, the day is being celebrated as the “National Technology Day”.
- The day recognizes technological innovations and their successful commercialization, making fruits of research reach available to the people by awarding scientists, technocrats and companies, encouraging others to emulate them and creating micro & macro-ecosystems conducive for persistent endeavors towards technological excellence.
- Technology Development Board on behalf of the Ministry of Science & Technology celebrates May 11 of every year as the “National Technology Day” to commemorate achievements of Innovations and Technological Excellence in the country.
National Awards of Technology Development Board
- Technology Development Board (TDB) recognises the achievements of those who have commercialised their innovations successfully with an outreach to the masses for the benefit of the Society.
- In order to encourage innovations and to nurture technologies flow to industry for product excellence so that our Nation has the competitive edge leading to our cherished vision of developed India, TDB gives Awards every year on Technology day.
- The first National Award was instituted in the year 1999, for successful commercialization of indigenous technology by an industrial concern. Thereafter two more awards have since been introduced. There are two broad categories of Awards: One is for successful commercialisation given to an Industrial Concern and other is for Technology Start-ups for their technologies having potential for commercialisation.
- In the first category, two Awards are given: One award is given for the successful commercialisation of innovative indigenous technology: Cash award of Rs. 25 lakh and a trophy to an industrial concern which has successfully developed & commercialized an indigenous technology. In case the technology developer and commercializing organizations are different, each one would be eligible for cash prize and a trophy.
- The second award is for the Micro Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME’s) that have commercialised a product based on indigenous technological innovation. This award carries a cash prize of Rs. 15 lakh and a trophy each to a Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise that have successfully commercialized a product based on indigenous technology.
- In the second category, Awards are given to technology Start-ups for promising new technology with potential for commercialization.
