The 81st foundation day of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the autonomous R&D organization under Department of Science & Technology, Government of India was celebrated here today at the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM) Jammu.The celebrations were largely attended by eminent scientists, faculty members of research & educational institutions, entrepreneurs, invited dignitaries, guests and staff members of CSIR-IIIM.Prof Amitabha Chattopadhyay, CSIR Bhatnagar Fellow was the chief guest of this function and he delivered foundation day lecture entitled, “Cholesterol Sensing by GPCRs: Challenges and Excitement.” Dr Padma Gurmet, Director, National Institute of Sowa Rigpa, Leh, was guest of honour.

Er Abdul Rahim, Chief Scientist & Acting Director, IIIM Jammu, introduced the chief guest who is a scientist of international repute and recipient of all top awards & recognition of Science.On this occasion, the chief guest also distributed prizes for different activities conducted as part of foundation day celebrations. On this occasion, the staff members who have superannuated from the council service during last one year were also honoured. They include Girdhari Lal, Pinki Koul, Jasbir Singh, Ramesh Kumar, Rattan Lal, Samar Singh, Rajinder Kumar, Janak Raj, Satya Sharma, Girdhari Lal, Ashok Kumar, Dr Anil Prabhakar, Bishan Kumar, Ramesh Kumar, Ashwani Sharma, Neelam Sharma, Ajit Singh, Rajneesh Anand, Dr D M Mondhe, Suram Chand, Madan Lal, Urmila Jamwal, Kasturi Lal, Sunita Devi, Gurdarshan Singh, Sodhagar Mal, Sewa Ram. Pawan Kumar, Rajesh Tandon, Dr Siya Ram Meena, Sanjay Sharma, Rajni Kumari, Anjum Padha and Dr Zabeer Ahmed.The merit scholarship for wards of Council employees who secured more than 90 percent marks was also given. Snehal Gupta, son of Rajesh Gupta, Administrative Officer, was awarded one time merit scholarship for securing 96-4 percent marks.

Prominent among other present there were Dr Asha Chaubey, Head, Fermentation and Microbial Biotechnology Division, Anjum Sharma, Sr Controller of Administration, Dr Dhiraj Vyas, Head, Plant Sciences and Agrotechnology Division (PSA), Dr Sumit G Gandhi, Head, Infectious Diseases Division, I B Dixit, Controller of Finance and Accounts, Daleep Gehlot, Store & Purchase Officer. Dr Deepika Singh, Head Quality Management & Instrumentation Division conducted the proceedings whileas Dr Zabeer Ahmed, Head Pharmacology & CSIR-IIIM (Branch), Srinagar presented the vote of thanks.