Adani Group-supported RSI-India aims to nurture next generation of Indian scientists
Bengaluru, July 10
India took another step towards nurturing young scientific talent as Adani Group-supported second edition of the Research Science Initiative-India concluded at the Indian Institute of Science here on Friday.
Hosted by IISc in collaboration with the US-based Center for Excellence in Education (CEE), the programme brought together meritorious students from across the country to work alongside faculty members in advanced research laboratories.
Moreover, the initiative was supported by Adani Group, enabling selected students to participate free of cost on the basis of merit.
The programme culminated in a Student Research Symposium, where participants presented conference-style research papers and oral presentations across various STEM disciplines, reflecting weeks of scientific inquiry, experimentation and mentorship.
In addition, outstanding research was recognised through awards for the best oral and written presentations, while all participating scholars received completion certificates at the closing convocation.
Speaking on the occasion, Sanjay Palsamudram, Founder of the Palsamudram Family Trust and Advisor to IISc, said the idea of bringing the initiative to India stemmed from his daughter's experience at the Research Science Initiative at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US.
"It all started six to seven years ago when my daughter got into the Research Science Initiative at MIT in the United States. Seeing how transformational that experience was, we wanted many more deserving young scholars from India to benefit from a similar opportunity. This vision has now become a reality through RSI-India," he said.
Palsamudram credited Adani Group for financially supporting the programme, saying its backing had made the initiative possible and reflected the importance of STEM research in nation building.
Modelled on the globally recognised Research Science Initiative in the US, RSI-India offers school students an immersive research experience beyond conventional classroom learning.
Participants spend six weeks conducting original research while interacting with scientists, innovators and researchers.
Additionally, the programme included Palsamudram Distinguished Lecture Series, featuring experts from science, technology, entrepreneurship and innovation to expose students to emerging research areas and real-world applications.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Wonderful to see IISc partnering with corporates for this! The model from MIT being adapted for India is brilliant. My cousin attended a similar program last year and said it completely changed how they think about research. More such initiatives needed across different states.
Impressive collaboration between academia and industry. The six-week immersive research format is proven to work—I participated in a similar program during high school in the US and it shaped my career. Glad to see India adopting these models. Hope it scales to more institutions.
Good effort, but I hope selection is truly merit-based and not influenced by connections. Also, 6 weeks is too short for serious research—should be extended. Still, better than nothing. At least some students are getting exposure to real labs. Kudos to the organizers.
This is exactly what India needs—bridging the gap between school curriculum and cutting-edge research. The Palsamudram family deserves credit for catalyzing this. But the real proof will come when these students produce patents or publish papers. Hope the program tracks long-term outcomes.
As a teacher in a government school, I wish such programs were accessible to students from rural backgrounds too. Competition is great, but we need to ensure the talented kid from a small town gets equal opportunity. Let's see how the outreach happens in future editions.
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