Latest news with #ProfessionalConnect2025
The Hindu
17-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Superstitions becoming widespread in society, says Pinarayi
Superstitions stamped out years ago during the reformation movement are once again becoming widespread in society, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said here on Saturday. The Chief Minister was addressing professionals from the science and technology sector at Professional Connect 2025, a programme organised as part of the fourth anniversary of the government. He underscored the need to nurture scientific temperament and propagate scientific and technological knowhow for sustainable growth and development founded on social justice. 'We live in times when superstitions that were wiped out under the leadership of social reformers are returning and becoming widespread,' he said, adding that many national grants that supported research and higher education have now been either removed or reduced. Digital science parks Mr. Vijayan said the Kerala government has instituted the Kairali Research Prize and the Chief Minister's Postdoctoral Fellowship for promoting research in addition to starting centres of excellence in the higher education sector and translational labs in universities. Kerala is on the path of growth with digital science parks and AI hubs. The State is spending ₹600 crore on three digital science parks, he said. Science and technology are not separate from the lives of humans, Mr. Vijayan said, reiterating his government's plans for creating a knowledge-based society. K.P. Sudheer, Executive Vice President, Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) and State Planning Board vice chairman V.K. Ramachandran and KSCSTE member secretary A. Sabu also spoke.
India Gazette
17-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inagurates Professional Connect 2025
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], May 17 (ANI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated 'Professional Connect 2025' in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday, using the platform to warn against the rising spread of superstition in academic and scientific institutions. Addressing professionals and students, he emphasised the state's commitment to fostering scientific temper through new initiatives, including digital science parks and AI hubs, despite a national decline in research support and rational inquiry. 'Science and technology are not separate from human life. The state is organising such events at a time when there is a concerted political propaganda to promote superstition and undermine scientific temper,' said CM Pinarayi Vijayan at Professional Connect 2025. CM Vijayan added, 'It is the government's policy to create an ecosystem that fosters technological and scientific knowledge. The boundary between science and superstition is becoming increasingly blurred. Alarmingly, even professionals with scientific knowledge are emerging as proponents of superstition. This is a dangerous trend. We've seen an IIT Director making claims about cow urine, and another teacher instructing students to smear cow dung in classrooms. National science forums have started resembling superstition congresses, and the institutions themselves are becoming objects of ridicule.' The Chief Minister called for collective societal engagement in preserving rational thinking. 'A transformation cannot be achieved by government intervention alone. Reformers in the past had to engage fiercely to bring about awareness. Today, we need various forms of intervention to raise awareness. Kerala houses India's first digital science park, and we are launching three more with an investment of Rs600 crore.' Expressing concern over national-level trends in research and education, he pointed to declining support for scientific research. 'Research funding in India remains abysmally low. Worse, what little is available is being misused to validate unscientific ideas. The number of fellowships has been halved, and many benefits to researchers have been slashed. In this bleak national context, Kerala is taking an alternative path--one that promotes real science, research, and critical inquiry. Our vision is to transform Kerala into a major AI hub through strategic initiatives,' said CM Vijayan. (ANI)
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan to discuss long-term development plans with professionals
Thiruvananthapuram: In a bid to gather strategic insights for Kerala's long-term development, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan will hold an interaction with professionals from diverse sectors on Saturday. The session, titled ' Professional Connect 2025 ,' is scheduled from 9:30am to 1pm at the Sankaranarayanan Thampi Hall in the state legislative assembly under the leadership of Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE), the event aims to facilitate meaningful dialogue with experts in healthcare, education, life sciences, agriculture, IT, industry, finance, infrastructure development and green energy. The key objective is to generate actionable ideas that will contribute to the 'Vision 2030' roadmap for minister Pinarayi Vijayan will personally engage with the participants, listen to their suggestions and respond to emerging ideas and policy proposals during the session.V K Ramachandran, vice chairperson of the Kerala State Planning Board, will deliver the keynote address, setting the tone for discussions.
