Dr. Shivkumar Kalyanaraman, Chief Executive Officer of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), visited the CSIR–National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR–NIIST) on Friday, underscoring the foundation’s commitment to promoting research that delivers tangible societal impact.

Dr. Kalyanaraman, appointed to lead ANRF by the Prime Minister of India, brings a distinguished career spanning academia and industry. His prior roles include serving as Chief Technology Officer for the Energy Industry, Asia at Microsoft, and holding key leadership positions at GE Power, where he spearheaded initiatives in e-mobility, renewable energy, and AI-driven innovation. He has also contributed extensively to IBM Research and served as a tenured professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

During his visit, Dr. Kalyanaraman engaged in an interactive session with CSIR–NIIST scientists, where he was briefed on the institute’s ongoing research programmes, key achievements, and emerging interdisciplinary initiatives. Emphasizing ANRF’s strategic priorities, he highlighted the importance of research that can translate into measurable, real-world outcomes, particularly at scale.

He reiterated that ANRF is committed to supporting ambitious, outcome-oriented projects with clear societal and national relevance, noting that funding availability would not be a constraint for proposals demonstrating significant impact. He also outlined various funding avenues under ANRF, encouraging researchers to pursue transformative ideas aligned with national priorities.

The visit further highlighted ANRF’s role as a newly established statutory body designed to catalyse a paradigm shift in India’s research and innovation ecosystem. The foundation aims to strengthen collaboration across academia, industry, government, and international partners, while advancing large-scale funding programmes and Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) initiatives.

Dr. C. Anandharamakrishnan, Director of CSIR–NIIST, remarked that the interaction provided valuable insights into the evolving national research landscape and ANRF’s forward-looking vision. He noted that the visit has opened new avenues for collaborative, interdisciplinary, and mission-driven research aligned with national development goals.

As part of the itinerary, Dr. Kalyanaraman toured several advanced research facilities at CSIR–NIIST, including the Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) and Food Processing units, where ongoing efforts in sustainable technologies, carbon management, and value-added food innovations were showcased.

He also visited the Designer Rice programme, which focuses on developing nutritionally enhanced rice varieties with improved glycaemic response and functional properties. These initiatives reflect the institute’s integrated approach to addressing critical challenges in energy, agriculture, and food security through science and innovation.

 

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