“Research Must Solve Real Problems, Not Just Generate Data”: VP Radhakrishnan at Panjab University

Vice President C P Radhakrishnan has urged researchers and innovators to concentrate on addressing societal needs and creating products that have a positive impact on society and not just generate data in the confines of a university.

Speaking on the occasion of the inaugural visit as the university chancellor, Radhakrishnan inaugurated  the upgraded advanced instrumentation facility at Sophisticated Analytical Instrumentation Facility/Central Instrumentation Laboratory (SAIF/CIL) and the PU Technology Innovation Forum (PU TIF) formerly known as BioNEST at Panjab University (PU).

What did the Vice President say about research?

Radhakrishnan stressed that research success should not be confined to campus boundaries. “Whatever research we do, unless the research makes an impact on society, the success of the result will be within the four compounds of our university only. We should do research in the right direction so that our research findings should help the entire society,” he said.

He urged scientists and scholars to keep science connected with purpose and use technology to ask relevant questions and address real challenges faced by communities and industry.

“We should not use technology merely to generate more data. We should use science and technology to ask relevant questions and solve real problems facing society,” Radhakrishnan added.

Failures are part of research, students told

In his speech to young researchers, the Vice President normalized failure as part of the R&D process. He said, “Don’t be disheartened by failure. The first thing we have to learn in research is that we should fail. We should fail so that we know where we went wrong. We should fail so that our mental strength goes up. The failures should not disappoint us”.

The vice president also urged the researchers to develop inclusive innovations that are scalable and cost-effective while addressing societal needs and market trends.

Linking research to national priorities: Viksit Bharat, Atmanirbhar Bharat

Radhakrishnan linked the university’s research agenda to India’s broader development goals.

“As we move towards the goal of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, our research must increasingly focus on national priorities,” he said, asking institutions to ensure their work supports the country’s strategic and socio-economic objectives.

New facilities inaugurated at Panjab University

During the visit, two key initiatives were launched to strengthen research and innovation ecosystems at PU:

• Upgraded SAIF/CIL facility: An advanced instrumentation hub to support high-end analytical research across disciplines.
• PU Technology Innovation Forum (PU TIF): An integrated platform for pre-incubation, incubation, and post-incubation of startups and innovations, earlier operating as BioNEST.

These facilities are expected to help translate lab-scale research into prototypes, products, and startups with societal and industrial relevance.

“Make PU a top 100 global university”

Radhakrishnan highlighted Panjab University’s 143-year legacy and its role in shaping leaders across politics, judiciary, science, sports, and economics. He noted PU’s 35th rank in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) and set a clear target: breaking into the top 100 universities globally. 

“By making this university a world-class university, the pride of Punjab and the pride of the nation, both will be re-established. This university has to become a world-class university,” he said.

“Say no to drugs”, VP tells students

A compelling appeal was made by the Vice President to the students asking them not to indulge in substance abuse and help create a “nasha mukt Bharat.” 

“Your health, your future, and your dreams are priceless; always say a firm No to drugs. No matter where I go, I will say this”, said Radhakrishnan, pointing out that the place being close to the border makes it all the more necessary for Punjab and Chandigarh.

This program saw the presence of Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, Haryana Governor Ashim Kumar Ghosh, and Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari, among others.