Chandigarh, Sep 4 — Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan on Friday visited 144-year-old Panjab University here and inaugurated the Advanced Instrumentation Facility at the Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facility/Central Instrumentation Laboratories (SAIF/CIL).
He also inaugurated the Panjab University Tech Innovation Forum (PU-TIF).
SAIF/CIL and PU-TIF represent important components of the university's ecosystem for academic, applied and translational research, providing advanced analytical, incubation and entrepreneurial support to researchers, innovators and industry.
Speaking on the occasion, Vice-President Radhakrishnan recalled the university's distinguished legacy since its establishment in 1882 and noted its contribution to nation-building through generations of leaders, jurists, scientists, sportspersons and public servants.
The Vice-President said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bharat's higher education and scientific research ecosystem has undergone a transformative change.
He added that India is increasingly emerging as a global destination for quality education, research and innovation.
Describing the inaugurations as two important milestones, Vice-President Radhakrishnan said the installation of five advanced scientific instruments -- Atomic Force Microscope, Raman Spectrometer, DNA Sequencer, Flow Cytometer and FTIR Spectrometer -- would significantly strengthen the university's research capabilities in fields, including nanotechnology, materials science, environmental science and genomics.
Highlighting the importance of innovation, the Vice-President noted that the transformation of Bio-NEST into the Panjab University Tech Innovation Forum as a Section 8 not-for-profit company represents a new institutional framework for advancing research, entrepreneurship and technology development.
He emphasised that innovation thrives when academia, industry, incubators and investors work together.
Addressing young researchers, the Vice-President urged them to pursue science with purpose, remain resilient in the face of failure, and develop innovations that are inclusive, scalable and capable of addressing real societal needs.
He said that research should have a meaningful impact on society.
He called upon researchers and students to pursue research in the right direction so that its benefits reach society at large.
The Vice-President also addressed campus safety, saying that following the unfortunate death of a Ph.D. student, he had immediately directed the university authorities to undertake a comprehensive safety audit of the entire campus.
He said an internal committee has been constituted to review the existing infrastructure and submit a detailed report, and stressed that the safety and well-being of students and staff must remain the university's highest priority.
Calling upon students to contribute towards a "Nasha Mukt Bharat", Vice-President Radhakrishnan urged them to stay away from substance abuse and encourage their families and friends to do the same.
Concluding his address, the Vice-President expressed confidence that the advanced scientific facilities and the Panjab University Tech Innovation Forum would further strengthen the university's contribution to research, innovation and entrepreneurship.
He urged students and faculty to ensure that ideas emerging from classrooms and laboratories translate into opportunities for youth and contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat and Atmanirbhar Bharat.
He called for collective efforts and invited suggestions from the university community on measures to transform Panjab University into a world-class institution of higher education and research.
Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, Haryana Governor Ashim Kumar Ghosh; Lok Sabha MP Manish Tewari, Vice-Chancellor of Panjab University Meenakshi Goyal, among others, were present on the occasion.