IIIM celebrates 84th CSIR Foundation Day

Jammu, Oct 6: CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Jammu celebrated the 84th CSIR Foundation Day by organising an event at C K Atal Auditorium of the institute.

Dr. Ram A. Vishwakarma, Distinguished Scientist, CSIR & Ex-Director, CSIR-IIIM, Jammu, was the chief guest of the function which was attended by the invited guests from the industry and academia, scientific, technical and admin staff including the research scholars and the pensioners. A spokesperson informed that the event also witnessed the signing of significant collaborative agreements, marking another milestone in the institute's journey of scientific excellence and innovation.

Delivering the Foundation Day address on "Pharma/Biopharma Landscape in CSIR: Targets and Roadmap," Dr. Ram Vishwakarma traced CSIR's pioneering role in India's pharmaceutical sector. "This day holds a significant importance, as everything around us is driven by science. Real transformation is achieved through scientific innovation – it represents the genuine return on investments (ROI)," Dr. Vishwakarma emphasized. He elaborated on CSIR's establishment in 1942, even before India's independence, and its foundational contributions to the nation's drug research ecosystem. Dr. Vishwakarma paid special tribute to Sir Ram Nath Chopra, highlighting that the Indian Drugs and Cosmetics Act was conceptualized at CSIR-IIIM Jammu under his leadership. "We must always remember his contributions and strive to maintain the benchmark he established," he urged the gathering. The CSIR-IIIM with unique strength of natural resources in the region, has lots of opportunities to become a global competitor in Phytopharmaceuticals especially the botanicals, he added.

Dr. Vishwakarma's presentation also outlined CSIR's comprehensive engagement across the pharmaceutical spectrum – from New Chemical Entities (NCEs) and generic drugs to New Biological Entities (NBEs), including therapeutic proteins, monoclonal antibodies, and biosimilars, alongside phytopharmaceuticals and diagnostics. He underscored CSIR's role in laying the scientific foundation of India's pharmaceutical industry post-independence and its continuing mandate as a provider of quality human resources to the sector.