NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY DAY

Home » NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY DAY

Why in news?

The National Technology Day is celebrated on May 11.

Technology Development Board (TDB) is organising a conference titled “RESTART” on National Technology Day 2020.

TDB, on behalf of the Ministry of Science & Technology, celebrates May 11 every year as National Technology Day to commemorate achievements of innovations and technological excellence in the country.
The day has a historical perspective as it was on May 11, 1998, that India achieved a major technological breakthrough by successfully carrying out nuclear tests at Pokhran.
Further, the first indigenous aircraft “Hansa-3” was test flown at Bangalore on this day; and India also performed successful test firing of the Trishul missile on the same day.
Since 1999, the day is being celebrated as National Technology Day.
The celebration of Technology Day symbolizes India’s quest for scientific inquiry, technological creativity & innovations, and the integration of these developments into national socio-economic benefits and global presence.

TDB is celebrating National Technology Day 2020, focusing on technological solutions towards that end.
These technologies would include, medical technologies, advanced technologies and manufacturing that would prepare India for the post COVID-19 time.

A high-level digital conference on ‘Rebooting the Economy through Science, Technology and Research Translations titled RESTART’ is being organised by TDB.
The conference will have technical sessions on ‘Medicines & Medical Technologies’; ‘Advanced Materials – New Technology Horizons’; ‘Advanced Manufacturing Technologies for Sustainable Future and Global Innovation’& Technology Alliance for Global Economic Leadership.
The conference will bring together Scientists, Technocrats, Government officials, Diplomats, WHO officials and dignitaries from national and international Industry, Research Institutions and Academic Institutions on a single platform to share their insights on the role played by S & T in the global healthcare crisis and find solutions that not only address the current pandemic but will also help us in facing the challenges ahead.

Technology Development Board (TDB) is a statutory body.
TDB was established by Technology Development Board Act, 1995.
It was formed to promote development and commercialization of indigenous technology and adaptation of imported technology for much wider application.
It is a body of the Department of Science & Technology (DST) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
The Board plays a pro-active role by encouraging enterprises to take up technology-oriented products.
The board provides equity capital or loans to industrial concerns and financial assistance to research and development institutions.

In order to stimulate private sector’s investment in R&D, TDB established Global Innovation & Technology Alliance (GITA) as a Section 25 company in a joint venture between Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and TDB.
The GITA will assist Department of Science & Technology (DST) in implementing industrial research and development programme with different countries under bilateral and multilateral science and technology cooperation agreements.
In these country-specific programmes, if one industry from India and one industry from another country proposed jointly to do R&D for developing a marketable product, both the governments will provide financial support up to 50% of project cost to their respective industries.
The GITA has been envisaged as an industry-driven body for supporting competitive innovation clusters which in future can be entrusted with administering of Innovation Fund under a PPP model, IP acquisition by the government for non-exclusive licensing for public and social good, sectors of R&D and promotion of innovation culture in centres of excellence.