Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy & Space and Vice President of CSIR inaugurated the two-day “National Startup Festival” today at the Government College for Women, Gandhi Nagar, Jammu, which is being organized by CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM), Jammu. During his inaugural address, Dr. Jitendra Singh appreciated CSIR-IIIM for organization of events focused on promotion of startups ecosystem in the region and said that such events motivate the youth to take their innovations forward. He mentioned how we have progressed just a few hundred startups in 2014 to several thousand now, with many success stories and unicorns. He said that some of these companies with humble beginnings now provide employment to hundreds of people and sell their products and services not only in India but abroad as well. Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized the rapid growth of the startup ecosystem in Jammu & Kashmir, which has expanded the number of startups more than tenfold, in the past five years, particularly after the abrogation of Article 370. He mentioned India’s rise in the Global Innovation Index from 81 to 40, recognizing the youth’s potential, unlocked through policies introduced under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership since 2014. These policies are helping our country to become “Atma Nirbhar” and will be critical to achieve the target of Viksit Bharat 2047. Towards this end the Modi Government 3.0 has brought the BioE3 policy and allocated Rs. 1,000 crores for startups and Rs. 2,600 crores for industrial hubs.

Shri. Satish Sharma, J&K UT Cabinet Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Transport, Science & Technology, Information Technology, Youth Services & Sports, and ARI & training departments and Padma Shri Prof. Vinod K. Singh, Chairperson, Recruitment & Assessment Board (RAB), CSIR and Institute Chair Professor of Chemistry at IIT Kanpur, were the Guests of Honour at the Inaugural function. Sh. Satish Sharma said that his government of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir is committed to provide all the support to youth who wish to setup their own companies. Prof. Vinod K. Singh appreciated the efforts of CSIR-IIIM and ascertained the importance of such events in fostering the startup culture and self-employment. Dr. Prabodh Kumar Trivedi, Director, CSIR-CIMAP, Lucknow, Dr. Ajit Kumar Shasany, Director CSIR-NBRI, Lucknow, Dr. Sudesh Kumar Yadav, Director, CSIR-IHBT, Palampur, Dr. Manoj Singh Gour, Director, IIT-Jammu, Dr. Jatinder Kumar, Managing Director, DBT-BIRAC and Dr. N. Zaheer Ahmed, Director General, CCRUM were among the other dignitaries present at the Inaugural function.

Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, Director, CSIR-IIIM, informed the press that during the program an important Memorandum of Understanding was signed between CSIR-IIIM and Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), under which the Institutions will work together towards scientific validation of traditional system of medicine which would help in better global acceptance. A Grant Letter Agreement was signed between Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), Deptt. of Biotechnology and CSIR-IIIM, under which DBT-BIRAC would provide support for establishing a startup incubator at the Industrial Biotech Park, Ghatti, Kathua. During the event, six new startups: Vipragen Biosciences Pvt Ltd, JMD Herbal Pharmaceuticals, Avtar Health Cares, The Unati Agri-Allied and Marketing Multistate Cooperative Society Ltd. Jammu, The Jammu and Kashmir Dairy Cooperative Federation Ltd., Kaushal Jammu Farm Producer Organizations Jammu, have been registered at the BIRAC Incubator at Industrial Biotech Park, Ghatti, Kathua. Further, three new products by startup Hapico Industries Pvt Ltd. IGC Lassipoora Pulwama registered with the Incubators at CSIR-IIIM, were also launched at the event. These three products are: CalPoMag, to address the common defiencies of Calcium, Magnesium and Potasium; Hapifert is a broad spectrum bioorganic fertiliser; and GlinTea Kehwa, made from Saffron, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Green Tea, Ginger, Almonds, flower petals and organic sweetener.

Dr. Ahmed further informed that 50 startups had participated in the event, from all over the country, including Jammu and Kashmir, UT of Ladakh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Meghalaya and others. These startups showcased their innovations and technologies, including Agri-based, Healthcare, Nutraceutical, Tech-based, Service-based, and Consumer products. He added that the key focus of this event was to empower local youth, students, women, and farmers from the Jammu region, including districts such as Udhampur, Reasi, Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri, Poonch, Kathua, and Samba. On the first day of this two-day National Startup Festival, more than 700 participants from Academia, Scientific fraternity, Schools, Colleges, Universities, Industries, Policy makers and members of the Civil Society, attended the event.

The event was organized with the patronage of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, under overall supervision of Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, Director, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, assisted by his team of HoDs and Scientists, including Er. Abdul Rahim, Dr. Asha Chaubey, Dr. Dhiraj Vyas, Dr. Shashank Singh, Dr. Sumit Gandhi, Dr. Naveed Qazi, Dr. Suphla Gupta, Dr. Saurabh Saran, Dr. Raj Kishore, Vikram Singh, Sr. COA, Ajay Kumar, CoFA, Dilip Gehlot, SPO, Rajesh Gupta, AO and Er. Ashwani Chopra.