Chandigarh/ SAS Nagar, February 28:
Reaffirming Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government’s commitment to fostering innovation, The Education and Information & Public Relations Minister, S. Harjot Singh Bains, today asserted that the trajectory of a developed nation is defined by its scientific discoveries. He called upon the youth to embrace the spirit of inquiry to propel the nation’s growth story onto the global stage.
Inaugurating the annual Science Fest “TATTVA” at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Mohali, on the occasion of National Science Day, Minister Bains urged students to view science not merely as a subject, but as the ultimate tool for national resurgence.
“From the invention of the wheel to the advent of Artificial Intelligence, every leap in human progress has been a leap in scientific thought. The progress of our nation is written in the language of science,” said Minister Bains, addressing a gathering of young.
Drawing a direct line from historical breakthroughs to contemporary ambitions, the Education Minister highlighted that India’s advancement in high-speed rail, aerospace, medical sciences, and digital infrastructure is the direct result of scientific temper. He urged students to draw inspiration from the giants of Indian science—Dr. C. V. Raman, whose discovery of the Raman Effect we celebrate today; the Father of Fibre Optics, Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany; nuclear pioneer Dr. Piara Singh Gill; and Nobel laureate Dr. Har Gobind Khorana.
“These visionaries did not just solve problems; they built the foundational pillars of modern India. I urge you to make scientists your icons and books your lifelong companions. The goal is not just to secure admission to prestigious institutions like the IITs, IIMs, or IISER, but to emerge from them as nation-builders,” he added.
The Education Minister Harjot Bains emphasised the critical role of curiosity in driving national development, encouraging students to question the “why” and “how” of everyday phenomena. He expressed pride in the fact that the Punjab Government’s focus on quality infrastructure and competitive coaching is yielding results, with over 300 government school students qualifying JEE Mains this year alone.
In a move to strengthen the science ecosystem, the Education Minister assured IISER Mohali Director Dr. Anil Kumar Tripathi of the Punjab Government’s full cooperation. He expressed a strong desire for a formal collaboration between the state’s school education department and premier research institutes to inculcate scientific temper at the grassroots level.
“Institutions like IISER are the engines of innovation. We want our students to have direct access to these engines—to work in their labs, to learn from their faculty, and to dream of walking their corridors as students one day,” he stated.
During the event, the Minister released the science magazine ‘Meraki’ and unveiled the IISER Mohali alumni website. He later toured the student exhibition, engaging enthusiastically with young innovators and appreciating their scientific models.
Earlier, Dr. Anil Kumar Tripathi welcomed the Education Minister S. Bains and highlighted the significance of National Science Day in commemorating the Nobel-winning discovery of the Raman Effect, which put Indian science on the world map.
