Science for All, All for Science

‘Wow! There has been no better day in 38 years of my service, whether in the country or abroad’, said Shri. Anil Swarup, IAS, Former Secretary, School and Education Literacy, Government of India. Delivering the Chief Guest’s address at the annual event of Anveshana Showcase - 2024 edition, he was deeply impressed by the remarkable quality in addition to the enthusiasm and confidence with which the children presented their research.

The event was held to celebrate and showcase both the research and the young, vibrant minds from Prayoga’s flagship project, Anveshana. It was conducted on the 30th of August, 2024 at the Prayoga campus. The event was honoured with the august presence of Shri. Anil Swarup, IAS, as chief guest and with Dr. PR Krishnaswamy presiding over the program.  Prof. T N Guru Row, Member, Advisory Board, Justice Krishna Bhat, Chairperson, Ethics Committee, Prof. Ganesh Bhat, Member, Ethics Committee, Prof. C R Nagendran, Prof. S N Hegde, Research Mentors of Prayoga graced the occasion with their esteemed presence. Prayoga’s industry partners, including representatives from ThermoFisher Scientific, StringBio and Merck, were also in attendance. 

Dr. Venkata Krishna Bayineni, Senior Researcher, welcomed the audience by highlighting the journey of Anveshana at Prayoga. He revealed that India is the 13th country globally and Prayoga is the first institute in the country to foster and nurture research as pedagogy at the school levels through Independent Research Projects (IRP). While showcasing the achievements of the previous batches, he highlighted a research paper which had a first-generation student as the first author. This underscored the uniqueness and the impact of Anveshana, demonstrating how the program stands out in both its means and ends. 

Over the years, research data from Anveshana on various parameters related to aptitude and attitude will seek to inform decisions and help design a framework aimed at fostering future scientists of excellence. Anveshana is an exercise based on inputs on criteria for selection into projects from over 90 top-notch scientists globally, identifying key attributes, competencies and skills essential to inculcate and nurture in young researchers and fuel an innovation engine in the country.

The young researchers, who are the face of future science, stole the show during the presentation. A total of 28 students conducted research studies in 8 groups guided by Senior Researchers and Research Associates at Prayoga. Research projects spanned across various disciplines, all centred around the theme of sustainability.

A project on ‘Isolation and Screening of Bilirubin Oxidase-Producing Microbes from Rotten Wood Samples for Industrial Applications’ guided by Dr. Venkata Krishna, led to an engaging discussion among the panelists and students on the incredibility of microorganisms and their potential. 

Dr. Athavan Anand’s group which worked on ‘Investigating and Raising Awareness of Chemical Hazards in Everyday Life’ had the children revealing to the many unversed in the crowd the magnitude of ill effects from a seemingly simple bill paper while also presenting a plan of action for the industry.  Chemical and computational studies shed light on the fact that a bill paper contains hazardous levels of Bisphenol S (BPS) and Diphenyl Sulphone (DPS). Their research brought to light the alarming fact that these chemicals can creep their way into the human system, with BPS potentially infiltrating the gastrointestinal tract and the DPS crossing the blood brain barrier, posing a serious risk to the Central Nervous System. This eye-opening discovery exposed the far-reaching impacts of everyday material, leaving the audience appalled, prompting calls for greater caution. 

A study on ‘Investigating the Effects of Anacardic Acids on Intracellular Calcium Levels’ by Dr. K S Nagabhushana’s students garnered much appreciation for the work with the panelists suggesting the research group to publish their work in esteemed journals given the high quality of work. The project involved isolation and purification of Anacardic acid at the commercial level of purity. Guided by Dr. Omprakash SS, the team that researched on ‘Tree leaves as a separator for graphene-based supercapacitors’ showcased the young researchers’ deep engagement with the project as they confidently answered questions from the audience. 

Dr. Ramya Prabhu’s group, which worked on ‘Engineering the cerium oxide nanoparticles with tunable physicochemical properties’, received much appreciation both for the work and her commitment to research. The project, with its significant industry potential, demonstrated her steadfast dedication to advancing the work, even while on maternity leave. The novelty of the method to prepare hitherto reported nanoparticle morphology. 

The heart-warming moment of the day was when Reshma, a tribal child presented her research in Kannada with immense confidence, received the loudest and longest applause from the crowd proving that language is no barrier to science. She was a part of a group supervised by Dr. Subhadip Senapati working on ‘Nature to Nanotech: Saponin-capped Green Nanoparticles for Environmental and Biomedical Applications’. The project was funded by Diversity in Science Grants from Biochemical Society (UK) and Reshma, one of four girls in the group, was a beneficiary of the grant. 

It was fitting that the grant, which promotes diversity, supported a tribal child in her research, as her involvement highlighted how true inclusivity can drive meaningful advancements in science. Prof. S N Hegde, overwhelmed and moved by her earnestness, gifted her with a set of four Science books he had written in Kannada underscoring that science transcends all and knows no boundaries. 

Dr. Ajit Singh's team that researched ‘Lake sedimentology and hydrogeology for efficient rainwater harvesting and artificial recharge in Bangalore’, initiated a conversation about the importance of communicating positive research outcomes to authorities and thereby facilitate translation of research to practice. Dr. PR Krishnaswamy opined that it is imperative for citizens to create a movement to secure future water demands. Dr. Biraj Borgohain’s research group that worked on ‘Mineral-Microbe Interaction: Exploring through Milk Fermentation Experiment in Pots Made of Different Minerals’ showed variety and vastness of nature’s processes. 

Shri. Anil Swarup expressed his happiness to be attending the event and affirmed that learning is a continuous process. He encouraged the children to cherish and nurture their talents emphasising that their journeys have just begun. He asserted that for research to be truly meaningful, it must reach the world. Dr. Swarup spoke of the profound impact of research on daily life while also affirming the importance of fundamental research. He expressed admiration for the skills and abilities of the young Anveshana researchers and underscored the cruciality of effective communication in science, advocating for its simplification to make it accessible to the general public. 

As the Founder and Chairman of Nexus for Good, an organisation that dedicates its efforts to fostering solutions to social challenges and scaling impact through collaborations, he said that the story of Prayoga needs to be told. After witnessing a parallel event taking place at Prayoga, the Teachers Empowerment Program, he expressed confidence that Prayoga’s initiatives could make the entire country proud and should be replicated across the country for greater good. 

The 2024 edition of Anveshana was sponsored by ThermoFisher Scientific. Dr. Saravanan Kumar, CMD - India, presented diverse research challenges that can be addressed with the wide gamut of instruments that ThermoFisher Scientific offers. The collaboration between ThermoFisher and Prayoga exemplifies the shared commitment to advancing scientific research and achieving common objectives in fostering innovation.

A Rotarian, Shri. Amar Rander, a wellwisher of Prayoga, impressed and overwhelmed by the nature of the program decided to establish an Excellence Award to be presented in every annual Anveshana event in the years to come. 

Dr. K S Nagabhushana, Director - Research, Prayoga, delivered the Vote of Thanks. He thanked the participants, their parents and school managements. On behalf of the management at Prayoga, he conveyed gratitude to Zerodha for the magnanimous support towards all projects of Prayoga and to ThermoFisher Scientific for sponsoring Anveshana Showcase 2024. He also thanked Merck for sponsoring the Millipore Deionisation Unit and to CIM Tools Private Limited (Motherson) for their support in the year 2024. 

In his presidential address, Dr. PR Krishnaswamy, appreciated Prayoga and its endeavors, attributing the organisation’s success to the quality of work, energy and extraordinary efforts of the entire Prayoga team. He remarked that the institution has the potential to set record-breaking history for organisations with objectives of such nature. He was pleased to observe that Anveshana has enabled children comprehend research problems and develop confidence. 

Dr. Krishnaswamy expressed his hope that the program will continue to be inclusive, grow and intensify in its rigour, eventually creating a national movement. He iterated the importance of translating science research to educate teachers, students and parents alike.  Dr. P R Krishnaswamy noted that Prayoga is poised to exceed expectations and the current industry collaborations are evidence of Prayoga's research potential. He expressed his confidence that Prayoga’s performance would speak for itself and gain widespread recognition.

It would be an understatement to say that the students who were part of Anveshana were the opportune ones who got to experience research first-hand. The novelty of this program is to expose students who aspire to be scientists, to science beyond textbooks and experience what a career in science entails. Beginning with interviews with esteemed scientists as panelists, followed by researching under the guidance of Principal and Co-Investigators, and culminating in presentations before a 100-odd member audience, the journey is a microcosm of a doctoral research pursuit. It is not everyday, and it is not every student, who gets to experience the finer nuances of research - through participation in coursework, literature surveys, fieldwork, handling sophisticated instruments like Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography (uHPLC), Spin Spray Pyrolysis (in-house developed), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Biosafety Cabinet, Electrochemical Workstation, visit premier research institutes like Centre for Nano Science and Engineering, Centre for Innovation, Incubation, Research and Consultancy to utilise high-end instrumentation (SEM, TEM, XRD), all during their formative school years. 

It is not only the academic pursuits but the holistic development of the student’s persona. Whether it is building self-confidence or resilience while handling tough days as a researcher coping with undesired results, they go through the grind like no other and steel themselves up for what’s coming.  

Their journey is nothing short of a spectacle. 

It is the desire of everyone at Prayoga to extend the benefits of such a program to students across the country, in the years to come. This is what Prayoga makes and is striving to make available for all - Resources, guidance, and opportunities. Science for All, All for Science. 

Deepika S

03-09-2024