Vice-President opens advanced research facilities at PU | Chandigarh News
Chandigarh: Vice-President of India and ex-officio chancellor of Panjab University (PU), CP Radhakrishnan, inaugurated two major research facilities—the Advanced Instrumentation Facility at SAIF/CIL and the Panjab University Tech Innovation Forum (PU-TIF)—on Friday.The ceremony was attended by Punjab governor Gulab Chand Kataria, Haryana governor Ashim Kumar Ghosh, Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari, and PU vice-chancellor Meenakshi Goyal.The installation of five advanced scientific instruments—an atomic force microscope, Raman spectrometer, DNA sequencer, flow cytometer, and FTIR spectrometer—will strengthen research across nanotechnology, materials science, environmental science, and genomics.Addressing the transformation of Bio-NEST into PU-TIF as a Section 8 non-profit company, the Vice-President stressed that innovation thrives when academia, industry, incubators, and investors collaborate to address real societal needs.5-year global targetFollowing the recent death of a PhD student, the Vice-President confirmed he directed university authorities to conduct a comprehensive safety audit of the campus, with an internal committee formed to review existing infrastructure.Setting a target for PU to rank among the top 100 global universities within five years, the chancellor announced plans for MOUs with leading foreign universities to support mentorship, technology, and industry knowledge.Call for specialised research and central supportDuring the event, MP Manish Tewari requested the Vice-President’s intervention to secure a fully central-funded university dedicated to semiconductors and robotics in Chandigarh, citing the legacy of the Semiconductor Laboratory in Mohali.Responding to the proposal, Vice-President Radhakrishnan stated that instead of establishing a separate central university, the Union govt will focus on elevating Panjab University to greater heights in technology, innovation, and emerging scientific disciplines.
