The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) organized a one-day Conclave for IRG/EMEQ Principal Investigators at the BRIC–National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR) in New Delhi on November 12, 2026. The event was part of the nationwide celebrations of Jan Jatiya Gaurav Divas 2026, observed from November 1 to 15 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda on November 15, as per directives from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
Approximately 60 Principal Investigators and scientists participated in the conclave, which aimed to strengthen research participation and capabilities among Scheduled Tribe researchers. Prof. Gobardhan Das, Member of NITI Aayog, served as Chief Guest and highlighted the legacy of Bhagwan Birsa Munda and government initiatives focusing on inclusive development and empowerment of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities. He emphasized India's progress across economic growth, infrastructure development, poverty reduction, and socio-economic development, noting the importance of sustained investments in science, technology, research, and innovation.
Dr. Shivkumar Kalyanaraman, CEO of ANRF, delivered the Presidential Address emphasizing the importance of ensuring tribal communities become equal partners in India's journey toward becoming a global knowledge and innovation powerhouse. He highlighted ANRF's commitment to democratizing research opportunities and creating an enabling ecosystem for researchers to pursue independent research and contribute to national scientific priorities. While acknowledging achievements in research publications and patent filings, he emphasized the need for Principal Investigators to align research outcomes with ANRF's impact-oriented approach, focusing on translation of research into tangible societal benefits, technological advancements, and solutions to national challenges.
Dr. Premila Mohan discussed the achievements of the erstwhile EMEQ programme and the evolution of the Inclusivity Research Grant (IRG), highlighting the program's success with over 5,300 research papers published and more than 300 patents filed over the last decade. The IRG program supports researchers from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities in pursuing frontier research in Science and Engineering, aiming to strengthen their research capabilities and facilitate integration into the wider research ecosystem.
The technical program featured expert talks and discussions on research project implementation, planning, publication, proposal development, and research priorities in engineering sciences. Specific presentations included Prof. Chandra Shekhar Sharma of IIT Hyderabad on "Making Every Grant Count: Effective Implementation and Management of Research Projects," Dr. Subeer S. Majumdar on research planning and publication, a presentation on Ministry of Tribal Affairs activities, Dr. Manoj Prasad on crafting winning research proposals, and Prof. Dipti Ranjan Sahoo of IIT Delhi on research needs in engineering sciences in India.