National Technology Day is annually observed across India on 11th May to celebrate and recognise the achievements of scientists, researchers, engineers and others involved in the field of science and Technology and to celebrate the major technological advancements of India.
- The day also marks the anniversary of the Pokhran nuclear test (Pokhran II) code-named Operation Shakti, conducted on 11th May 1998.
11th May 2023 marks the 25th year of National Technology Day.
The theme of National Technology Day 2023 is “School to Startups- Igniting Young Minds to Innovate”.
- Annually, the theme of the National Technology Day is decided by the Technology Development Board(TDB), under the Department of Science and Technology(DST).
Background:
i.The celebration of the National Technology Day was initiated in 1998 by then Prime Minister(PM) of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
- He declared the 11th May of every year as the National Technology Day as a reminder of the anniversary of the Pokhran II tests and to honour Indian scientists, engineers and technologists, who worked for India’s scientific and technological advancement.
ii.The first National Technology Day was observed on 11th May 1999.
Pokhran II Tests:
i.The Pokhran-II tests were a series of five nuclear bomb test explosions conducted by India at the Indian Army’s Pokhran Test Range, in the Thar Desert (or Great Indian Desert), Rajasthan, between 11th and 13 May 1998.
ii.The first three detonations took place simultaneously on 11 May 1998 and 2 nuclear devices detonated simultaneously on 13th May 1998.
iii.The key people behind the success of ‘Operation Shakti’ were APJ Abdul Kalam, the then chief of the Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO); R Chidambaram, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission; K Santhanam, Mission Director, and Anil Kakodkar, Director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).
Events 2023:
On the occasion of the National Technology Day 2023, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi inaugurated the programme which marks the commencement of the celebration of the 25th year of National Technology Day at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, Delhi.
- The programme will be held from 11th May to 14th May 2023.
- During the event, PM also inaugurated the Expo showcasing scientific & technological advancements made in India in the recent past.
- He also released a commemorative stamp and coin on the occasion.
Focus: The programme and celebration of National Technology Day 2023 focus on the Atal Innovation Mission, the flagship initiative of the Indian government to create and promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship across the length and breadth of India.
Key Points:
The AIM pavilion will showcase the multiple innovative projects and offer an opportunity for the visitors to witness live tinkering sessions, engage in tinkering activities, witness outstanding innovations and products by Startups.
PM Modi laid foundation stone and dedicated multiple scientific projects
PM Modi laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation multiple projects related to scientific and technological advancement in India worth more than Rs 5800 crore.
PM Modi laid the foundation stone for the
- Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory – India (LIGO-India), Hingoli, Maharashtra
- Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Jatni, Odisha
- Platinum Jubilee Block of Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra.
He also dedicated the several scientific projects to the nation. The projects includes,
- Fission Molybdenum-99 Production Facility, Mumbai, Maharashtra.
- Rare Earth Permanent Magnet Plant, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh(AP)
- National Hadron Beam Therapy Facility, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Radiological Research Unit, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Visakhapatnam, AP
- Women & Children Cancer Hospital Building, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra
LIGO-India:
i.LIGO-India, developed in Hingoli, will be one of the handful Laser Interferometer Gravitational wave observatories in the world.
ii.LIGO-India is an extremely sensitive interferometer of 4 km arm length which is capable of sensing gravitational waves generated during the merger of massive astrophysical objects such as black holes, and neutron stars.
iii.It will work in sync with the 2 such observatories operating in the United States; one in Hanford, Washington and the other in Livingston, Louisiana.
Rare Earth Permanent Magnet plant:
i.Rare Earth Permanent Magnets are primarily produced in developed countries.
ii.The facility for production of Rare Earth Permanent Magnets is developed at the campus of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre at Visakhapatnam, AP. The facility is based on indigenous technology and uses indigenous Rare Earth material extracted from indigenous resources.
iii.With this production plant, India will join a select group of nations with the capacity to produce Rare Earth Permanent Magnets.
National Hadron Beam Therapy Facility:
Tata Memorial Centre’s National Hadron Beam Therapy Facility is a state-of-the-art facility that works to undertake the exact delivery of radiation to the tumour with minimal dose to the surrounding normal structures.
Fission Molybdenum-99 Production Facility:
i.Fission Molybdenum-99 Production Facility is located at the Trombay Campus of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in Mumbai.
ii.Molybdenum-99 is the parent of Technetium-99m, used in more than 85% of imaging procedures for the early detection of cancer, heart disease and others.
The facility is expected to enable about 9 to 10 lakh patient scans per year.
Highlights of PM’s address:
i.PM noted that more than 10,000 ATAL tinkering labs(ATL) in 700 districts have become innovation nurseries and around 60% of these labs are in government and rural schools.
- More than 75 lakh students are working on more than 12 lakh innovation projects in ATL.
ii.He also stated that initiatives like Startup India Campaign, Digital India, and National Education Policy have contributed to the development in the field of Science and Technology.
iii.The number of patents has increased from 4000 per year 10 years ago to around 30000 at present. The Registration of designs has increased from 10,000 to 15,000 and the number of trademarks have increased from less than 70,000 to more than 2,50,000 in the same period.
iv.He also highlighted that according to World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)’s Global Innovation Index Rank India has moved from 81st in 2015 to the 40th position in 2022.
