India Science Festival 2026 puts AI, space tech, and radio astronomy at the forefront
The seventh India Science Festival (ISF) opened at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, kicking off a two-day national event built around ethical AI, space exploration, radio astronomy, and emerging technologies.
As guest of honour, Abhay Karandikar, secretary of the Department of Science and Technology, outlined how structural reforms and national initiatives-the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) and the Research Development and Innovation Fund (RDIF)-are designed to strengthen India's research ecosystem. He noted the value of festivals that bring scientists, industry, policymakers, educators, and the public into the same room.
The festival expects over 25,000 students, 1,000 professors, and 5,000 professionals from across the country. That mix creates a useful environment for scouting collaborators, talent, and new ideas.
Speakers and highlights
Prominent participants include Nobel Laureate Venki Ramakrishnan, computer scientists Ashish Vaswani and Eshan Chattopadhyay, and Indian astronaut Subhanshu Shukla. The program spans expert talks, panels, and interactive sessions focused on practical applications and responsible deployment of new technologies.
Awards at ISF 2026: Ashish Vaswani will receive the S Chandrasekhar Rising Indian Diaspora Scientist Award 2026. IIT Kanpur professor Arnab Bhattacharya will be honoured with the Jayant and Mangala Narlikar Rising Indian Scientist in Science Communication Award 2026.
Varun Aggarwal, co-founder of the Foundation for Advancing Science and Technology (FAST India), said this year's focus is on deep technology with a balanced approach between science and technology.
Day two features workshops, quizzes, and competitions for students and teachers in partnership with leading corporates and academic institutions. The festival closes with a theatre performance, "India's Space Odyssey," narrated by actor Akhilendra Mishra.
Attendees included K VijayRaghavan (former Principal Scientific Advisor), Ashish Dhawan (co-founder, FAST India), Sheel Kapoor (CEO, FAST India), Maneesha Inamdar (director of STEM, JNCASR), Sunil Bhagwat (director, IISER Pune), Vijay Jerome (Bajaj Auto Ltd), and Ashok Atluri (Zen Technologies).
Why this matters for scientists and R&D leaders
- Clear funding signals: ANRF and RDIF point to priority areas and new routes for ambitious projects. Track upcoming calls and align proposals early.
- Interdisciplinary traction: Strong threads linking AI with space tech and radio astronomy open room for cross-domain methods, shared datasets, and joint infrastructure.
- Pipeline for talent and partnerships: With 25k students and wide industry presence, this is a live market for collaborations and hiring.
- Public engagement at scale: Science communication awards and theatre programming underline that outreach is a strategic skill, not a side project.
Practical next steps
- Monitor programs and updates from the Department of Science and Technology. Start with the official portal: dst.gov.in.
- If you're building AI into your lab workflow or data pipelines, upskill your team with focused training. A curated starting point: Latest AI courses.
- For collaborations in deep tech and science policy, keep an eye on FAST India's initiatives: fast-india.org.
- Shortlist 2-3 adjacent domains (e.g., AI for instrument control, signal processing for radio astronomy, autonomy in small satellites) and set up exploratory meetings with peers you met at ISF within the next two weeks.
- Allocate a small budget line for science communication this quarter-training, toolkits, or a pilot outreach project-to increase project visibility and community impact.
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