Mega science, tech cluster launched in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao on Friday formally announced the launch of the Science and Technology Hyderabad Cluster, led by the State government’s Research and Innovation Circle of Hyderabad (RICH).

The city is one of four cities selected for setting up a Science and Technology (S&T) mega cluster, an initiative of the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) to facilitate nationwide scientific collaboration.

While launching this body, Rama Rao said, “The creation of the Hyderabad Cluster, driven by RICH, will help discoveries and inventions in labs to move to implementation, promising to change lives of citizens. We are looking to help launch at least large impactful companies over the next 5-7 years, which will benefit millions, generate wealth, and create over 1 lakh jobs across the country. In the long term, our goal is to make Telangana the best centre of excellence for life sciences, agriculture and digital technology.”

The Central government initiative is aimed at encouraging scientific enterprise and to push individual institutional excellence towards collective performance.

Currently, the office of Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India has proposed the establishment of mega S&T clusters in four cities that have strong organisations, institutions and industries focused on science and technology — Hyderabad, Bengaluru, National Capital Region (NCR)-Delhi and Pune. 

Ajit Rangnekar, Director General of RICH, said: “At the Hyderabad cluster, we will foster multi-disciplinary research and entrepreneurship to build a more prosperous and equitable future for all. We will work with MSMEs, start-ups, researchers and industries to rapidly commercialise promising ideas. The vision is to make Hyderabad the best science start-up hub that will become the number one destination for science start-ups.”