Prez to inaugurate IISF-2018 on October 6

The fourth edition of India International Science Festival (IISF) will be inaugurated by President Ram Nath Kovind in Lucknow on October 6, Union minister Harsh Vardhan said Monday.

The IISF-2018, to be held from October 5 to 8, is expected to be attended by around 10,000 delegates, including 5,000 students, 550 teachers and 200 students from north-east region, besides 20 international delegates and 200 startups, he said.

Addressing the event's curtain raiser here, the Science and Technology minister termed IISF a medium to encourage young minds towards the field of Science.

"The fourth edition of the festival is also a tribute to former prime minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee who brought Science to the national stage," he said.

The IISF-2018 with its focal theme of 'Science for Transformation' will have 23 special events.

The Global Indian Science & Technology Stakeholders Meet (GIST), Industry Academia Meet and Science & Technology for Harnessing Innovations (SATHI), a national startup entrepreneurship summit and Student Science Village are some of the special events.

"The Science Village programme is linked with the 'Pradhan Mantri Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana' to reach out to the rural masses and propagate Science, and for seeking scientific solutions to the diverse challenges facing our society, particularly rural India," Vardhan said.

Speaking on the occasion, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Renu Swaroop said the role of 'Women Scientists and Entrepreneurs' in shaping the scientific growth trajectory will be another highlight of the festival.

In IISF 2018, a world record attempt will be made to "isolate DNA" by 500 students from classes VIII to X.

The event is being organised in association with Vijnana Bharti or VIBHA, an RSS-linked science organisation.