Pune Knowledge Cluster

The Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India, Prof. @AjaySoodIISc, chaired the Fourth All S&T Clusters’ Meet at Panjab University, Chandigarh, on 9 October 2026. The Meet was hosted by the PU-IIT Ropar Regional Accelerator for Holistic Innovations Foundation (PI-RAHI). He was joined by Dr (Mrs) Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary and Dr Vishal Choudhary, Scientist 'F', Office of the PSA. Prof. Sood highlighted the progress of the S&T Cluster initiative, with six of eight Clusters advancing to Phase 2.0 and evolving into “National Technology Accelerators” to address industrial and societal needs. He also noted international collaborations with India-Australia Smart Farm Network and the UK Catapult Network, and urged all eight Clusters to adopt gamification of STEM subjects, inspired by the Pune City S&T Cluster’s Gamification of Chemistry initiative. Dr. Maini in her opening remarks, highlighted the sustained growth of S&T Clusters and showcased solutions emerging from inter-Cluster collaboration, including D-PoC, SynPharma, Kalaanubhav.in, E-Yantram and i-Passport. She emphasised building a connected national Cluster network through linkages with RuTAG, RSVCs, I-STEM and DPIIT initiatives. Appreciating BCKIC’s work on marine litter, she stressed aligning Cluster activities with Swachhata and environmental sustainability. She urged participants to explore opportunities to “Replicate, Scale and Collaborate” to strengthen industry and international partnerships. The two-day Meet featured the launch of an Automatic Weather Station, EV charging and battery-swapping stations, the Phycotree Report and Kalaanubhav portal, alongside showcases of SPARKS 2.0, IGNITE 2.0, GINI 2.0 and STI Ecosystem Reports. Key highlights included an MoU signing, the UK Catapults–S&T Clusters collaboration announcement, a traditional crafts exhibition, stakeholder consultations and deliberations by all eight Clusters. On the second day, Prof. Sood inaugurated a Digital Podiatric Clinic at Panjab University Health Centre and announced the 2nd International Conference on S&T Clusters, advancing technology deployment, partnerships and indigenous innovation. Read the full PIB here: pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.… @BeSTCluster | @driiv_delhi | @jckic_jodhpur | @PI_RAHI | @BCKIC | @RICH_Hyd | @ClusterPune | @AP_MedTechZone

The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India launched the “Science and Technology (S&T) Clusters Annual Report 2025–26” under the chairmanship of Prof. @AjaySoodIISc, Principal Scientific Adviser during a meeting held on 13 August 2026. The launch was also attended by Dr Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary; @DrVishalChoudh3, Scientist-F; Dr Santhosh Nair, Scientist-D; and Dr Shefali Uttam, Technical Staff, Office of the PSA, along with the CEOs, COOs, and Principal Investigators of the eight S&T Clusters established under the Office of the PSA. During the launch, Prof. Sood emphasised stronger inter-Cluster collaboration, industry engagement and technology translation, with a focus on adapting and scaling successful regional solutions and measuring outcomes through higher TRLs, real-world validation, commercialisation, and societal and economic impact. Dr Maini highlighted the growing maturity of the S&T Clusters through a consortium-based model and emphasised the need to prioritise the national interest while strengthening industry participation in technology validation and translation. The Report highlights the evolving role of the S&T Clusters as regional innovation ecosystems and “National Technology Accelerators”. It showcases initiatives that have progressed from the ideation stage to field deployment and commercialisation, including E-Yantram, AI-enabled Digital Podiatry Clinics, AI-enabled agriculture and weather intelligence, indigenous pacemaker components, patient-specific 3D-printed implants, ChemAmaze and One Health initiatives, alongside national platforms such as Kalaanubhav.in and i-Passport. The Report highlights how inter-Cluster collaboration is enabling successful solutions to be replicated and scaled, alongside growing international partnerships in healthcare, advanced manufacturing, smart agriculture, sustainable mobility, climate resilience and emerging technologies. These include collaborations with the University of Western Australia, the India–Australia Smart Farm Network and the UK Catapult Network, strengthening the Clusters’ global engagement and impact. The Report can be accessed through: psa.gov.in/CMS/web/sites/def… Read the full press release here: pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.… @DrNamrataMisra, @BCKIC | @priya_nagaraj1, @ClusterPune | @BeSTCluster | @driiv_delhi | @jckic_jodhpur | @PI_RAHI | @RICH_Hyd | @AP_MedTechZone

The Office of @PrinSciAdvGoI is pleased to announce the release of the curtain-raiser video for the upcoming International S&T Clusters Conference (ISTCC), to be held on 4th & 5th December 2025, in New Delhi. The conference will bring together global experts, researchers, industry leaders, innovators, and policymakers to discuss the evolving role of S&T Clusters in driving regional innovation, societal impact, and national development. The video highlights the importance of the S&T Cluster initiative and sets the context for the forthcoming conference. Read more about the release on: pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.… @ajaysoodIIsc | @DrVishalChoudh3 @AP_MedTechZone @BCKIC @BeSTCluster @ClusterPune @driiv_delhi @jckic_jodhpur @PI_RAHI @RICH_Hyd #ISTCC2025 #SandTClusters

Dr. Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary, Office of @PrinSciAdvGoI, chaired a review meeting with representatives from all eight S&T Clusters. The meeting focused on aspects of the upcoming #ISTCC2025 conference execution, including the technology showcase featuring innovations from the 8 participating clusters, partnership MoUs scheduled during the event, and the launch of four compendiums by the Chief Guest, Hon’ble Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh. From the Office of PSA, Dr. @DrVishalChoudh3, Scientist ‘F’; Mr. Vivek Kumar, Scientist ‘D’; and Dr. Shefali Uttam, Technical Staff, also joined the meeting. #SandTClusters @AP_MedTechZone @BCKIC @BeSTCluster @driiv_delhi @jckic_jodhpur @PI_RAHI @ClusterPune @RICH_Hyd

𝐒&𝐓 𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: 𝐕𝐒𝐓 & 𝐏𝐊𝐂 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 “𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞” From developing indigenous med-tech to enabling city-wide disease surveillance, science-led collaboration is the medium for improving healthcare and wellbeing. Out of the 8 clusters under the Office of @PrinSciAdvGoI's S&T Clusters initiative, this spotlight on @AP_MedTechZone Vizag S&T Cluster (VST) and @ClusterPune (PKC), showcases their efforts in healthcare. Explore the S&T Clusters initiative and learn more about the Clusters on OPSA’s website: psa.gov.in/st-clusters @ajaysoodIIsc | @DrVishalChoudh3 @BCKIC @BeSTCluster @driiv_delhi @jckic_jodhpur @PI_RAHI @RICH_Hyd #ISTCC2025 #SandTClusters

On #WorldOneHealthDay, @PrinSciAdvGoI, Prof. @AjaySoodIISc, shares a message for all partners advancing India’s #OneHealth approach. He emphasises the need for collaboration among all stakeholders to advance the vision of the #NationalOneHealthMission and build a resilient, healthier future for all. @NITIAayog @ICMRDELHI @DeptHealthRes @DBTIndia @Pharmadept @IndiaDST @moefcc @moesgoi @isro @FisheriesGoI @moayush @icarindia @Dept_of_AHD @CSIR_IND @DRDO_India @ndmaindia @NCDCMoHFW

Prof. @AjaySoodIISc, @PrinSciAdvGoI , unveiled the official logo of the International Conference on S&T Clusters on 3rd October 2025. Scientific Secretary Dr. Parvinder Maini also joined for the launch. The conference, focused on ‘Making Lives Easier Through S&T’, will be held on 4th & 5th December 2025 in New Delhi. The logo reflects the spirit of the initiative: abstract nodes linked to a globe symbolise science, innovation, and interconnectedness, while the globe at the centre highlights the international scale of collaboration. As we move towards the International Conference, stay tuned as we spotlight each of the eight S&T Clusters, showcasing their unique contributions and impact. Explore the S&T Clusters initaitive on OPSA's website: psa.gov.in/st-clusters Visit the Conference webpage: psa.gov.in/st-cluster-confer… @DrVishalChoudh3 #SandTClusters

S&T clusters have emerged as critical nodes in the global innovation ecosystem and require robust international partnerships to multiply their transformative impact. A closer look among the world’s leading S&T clusters even reveals high collaboration with foreign innovation contributors and partners. Since 2020, the 8 Clusters under Office of @PrinSciAdvGoI's flagship program of the S&T Clusters initiative have been establishing strong industry-academia-government networks, fostering regionally empowered and mission-driven innovative solutions. To support the scalability & impact of these solutions, expanding its reach and benefit beyond borders, OPSA recently announced an International S&T Clusters Conference on ‘Making Lives Easier Through S&T’ on 4th & 5th December 2025. The Conference is designed to serve as a platform for global collaboration and partnerships, enabling our S&T Clusters to engage with similar international equivalents. Visit the International Science & Technology Clusters Conference webpage at: psa.gov.in/st-cluster-confer… @ajaysoodIIsc | @DrVishalChoudh3 #SandTClusters