Bhubaneswar: Vice-president C P Radhakrishnan on Thursday said science should go beyond creation of knowledge and play a decisive role in shaping public policy, strengthening sustainability and serving society.Addressing the 15th graduation ceremony of the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar, he called upon young scientists to use innovation as a tool for nation-building while adhering to integrity, ethics and social responsibility.Radhakrishnan said India’s demographic strength and development goals make scientific capability a core requirement for realising the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. He stressed the need for interdisciplinary research, saying modern challenges cannot be solved by any single branch of science working in isolation.Referring to India’s progress in space exploration, vaccine development, digital public infrastructure and renewable energy, he said the country’s achievements have enhanced its global standing. He urged graduating students to combine ambition with responsibility and ensure that scientific progress remains rooted in compassion.The vice-president also recalled Homi Bhabha’s contribution to India’s atomic energy programme and said his death was a serious blow to the country’s nuclear research efforts. “India, however, emerged stronger and is today among the leading nations in atomic research,” he said, expressing hope that NISER graduates would make path-breaking contributions to science and technology.Union science and technology minister Jitendra Singh said India’s nuclear programme, envisioned by Homi Bhabha for peaceful purposes, has gained fresh momentum under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said recent reforms have widened participation, strengthened indigenous capabilities and created new opportunities in the nuclear sector.Singh said young scientists would be central not only to technological progress but also to developing sustainable solutions for global challenges. He added that India’s installed nuclear power capacity currently stands at 8,780MW and is targeted to increase to 22,380MW by 2032, reflecting the country’s focus on energy security and clean power.Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, department of atomic energy secretary Ajit Kumar Mohanty and other dignitaries attended the ceremony.
