KU hosts DST-FIST meeting, VC addresses opening session

Srinagar, Oct 20: Continuing to host national-level meetings related to science research and development, the University of Kashmir on Thursday hosted the DST-FIST Presentation Meeting in the areas of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences.
The Fund for Improvement of Science and Technology (FIST) is a centrally-sponsored scheme of the Department of Science and Technology Government of India that aims to provide basic infrastructure and enabling facilities for promoting research and development (R&D) in new and emerging areas and attracting fresh talent in the universities.
Addressing the opening session of the meeting that assessed the project proposals for grant of DST-FIST packages to principal investigators from different parts of the country, KU Vice-Chancellor Prof Nilofer Khan said it adds to the University’s credentials and visibility to host such important scientific meetings that offer an exposure to our faculty and students on key schemes like FIST. She said the University recently hosted an expert committee meeting of SERB where 15 experts from different parts of the country evaluated more than 700 proposals for grant of the SERB fellowship.
Former KU Vice-Chancellor Prof Talat Ahmad, the chairman of the DST-FIST expert committee, said the schemes like FIST have led to modernisation of laboratories of higher research to attune the country’s research endeavours with national missions and priorities.
The applicant PIs made presentations before the expert committee, following which the committee chairman and members visited several KU departments to assess the progress made by them in utilising the already-sanctioned FIST grants.
Dean Research KU Prof Irshad A Nawchoo coordinated the meeting, which was also attended by Registrar Dr Nisar A Mir.
The expert committee members who attended the meeting in-person included Dr Reddithota J Krupadam, Prof D C Srivastava, Dr Sanat Kumar Das, Prof D Narayana Rao and Dr Srinagesh Davuluri, while Dr Arun Kumar Sarma and Dr (Mrs) Geeta Ram Kumar joined the meeting in online mode.