On this occasion, Dr Mohan Wani (Director, NCCS), delivered the welcome address, wherein he gave an overview of NCCS and its achievements, and outlined the academic programmes available to students interested in joining the institute for research. This was followed by an overview of IISF 2023 presented in Hindi by Dr. Manasi Malgaonkar (Secretary, VIBHA, Paschim Maharashtra Prant).

Dr. Malgaonkar began by stating that the name of this event was coined to reflect its mission of celebrating science with the people. She stated that IISF 2023 will be held from January 17- 20 at the THSTI-RCB campus in Faridabad. She summarised the different sections that will be included in IISF 2023 to cover diverse aspects of science, and how they would benefit various stakeholders and audiences. She ended by encouraging the audience to participate in the upcoming and future IISF events.

The event concluded with a public talk on ‘The History of Biomedical Science in India’ by Dr. Shekhar Mande (Honorary Distinguished Scientist, NCCS, and National President, VIBHA; Former Director, NCCS and Former DG, CSIR). Dr. Mande walked the audience through the fascinating history of traditional practices and medicine in India over the centuries, covering four broad themes: (i) Medicinal practices in ancient India, (ii) Exchange of medical practices between Europeans and Indians, (iii) Notable contributions from India to modern medicine, and (iv) Modern medical colleges and hospitals in India. Using engaging narratives and examples from ancient Indian texts as well as archaeological and archival records, he presented a very insightful perspective and underscored the need to develop a balanced approach towards healthcare that blends the strengths of both, Indian tradition wisdom and practices, as well as western modern medicine.