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ANRF Vision: Catalyzing India’s Rise as a Research and Innovation Powerhouse

Dr. Shivkumar Kalyanaraman,

CEO, Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF)

A Statutory Body of Govt of India, presided by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India

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जय जवान, जय किसान,

जय विज्ञान

और

जय अनुसंधान

“95% of our students go to state universities & colleges. A strong research ecosystem must be developed in these Universities & Colleges”

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Genesis of ANRF

National Education Policy 2020 envisions a comprehensive approach to transforming the quality and quantity of research in India. Research and innovation at education institutions in India, particularly those that are engaged in higher education, is critical.

To build on these various elements in a synergistic manner, and to thereby truly grow and catalyze quality research in the nation, NEP 2020 envisions the establishment of a National Research Foundation (NRF).

ANRF Act, 2023 notified on February 05, 2024

and erstwhile Science and Engineering Research Board dissolved

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Governance Structure

Presided by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India
Provides high-level strategic and policy direction for ANRF and oversees implementation of the objectives

Governing Board

Executive Council

CEO

Chaired by the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Govt of India
Responsible for implementation and execution of ANRF programs

Chief Executive Officer for efficient administration of the Foundation

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ANRF Governing Board Meeting

First Meeting of ANRF Governing Board under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Prime Minister�held on September 10, 2024

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ANRF “Core” and RDI: CATALYZE the Rise of India as an R&I Powerhouse

ANRF Core

Foundational Transformation +

Mission-Mode Research +

Private Partnerships {Grant-in-aid focus}

ANRF RDI

Translational & Scale up with Private Sector

{Patient Capital, Debt/Equity: NOT Grants}

Basic R&D

Prototype

Commercialisation

ANRF CORE (₹50K CR*)

RDI Fund (₹1L CR)

Technology Readiness Level (TRL)

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RDI Fund (₹1L CR): Proposed Mechanism

ANRF Fund

Innovation Fund

S&E Research Fund

Special Purpose Fund

Central Government

Anchor Ministry-DST

AIF

Corporates, Private Sector R&D Labs, Incubators

First Level: RDIF Dedicated Professional Team

Independent Business Unit

RDI Fund

(Special Purpose Fund of ANRF)

ANRF Governing Board

ANRF Executive Council

FRO (Focused Research Org )

Deep Tech Fund of Funds

Patient Capital

RDI Loan

Grant

Direct Investments Debt/Equity/Hybrid

ANRF

Deep Tech Startups

EGoS

Next Level Fund

Deep Tech Startups,

Companies

Second Level: Financial Intermediaries / Investors

Third Level: Real Economy Investees

NBFC, DFI

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ANRF STRATEGIC APPROACH: ACROSS THE TRL SPECTRUM

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9

Fundamental Research:

Broad Based, Bolder, Individual & Collaborative, Interdisciplinary. People Mobility, Shared R&I Infrastructure, Industry-Acad Collaboration: Catalytic Programs

Directed Research & Innovation:

Missions, Challenges, Accelerated Translation to Economic or Social Impact, Cross-Disciplinary Teams, Cross-Ministry

ANRF: Horizontal

ANRF: Vertical

Drive excellence and merit-based capacity development

Partners

Industry, Startups, MSMEs, Research Labs, Foundations, CSR, Family Donations

Tech Readiness Levels (TRL)

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ANRF CORE: R&D STRATEGIES

Science Excellence - R&D Support

Dashboards

Uplifting S&T Research Ecosystem

Mission Mode Research

Industry-Academic Collaboration

Capacity Building – Fellowships, Events Support

Interface of S&T with Social Sciences & Humanities

Ease of Doing Science

RDI

Directed Research & Innovation

Towards Economic and Social Impact

ANRF: Vertical

ANRF Horizontal

Collaborations

ANRF

Apex for Research & Innovation

Broad Based and Bottom-Up

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ANRF CORE: R&D STRATEGIES

PMECRG, ARG, IRG, JC Bose Grant

Dashboards

PAIR,

PM Professorship

MAHA

ATRI

PMDF, NPDF, Ramanujan Fellowship, NSC, ITS & SS

Convergence CoE (HSS <> S&T)

Ease of Doing Science

RDI

Directed Research & Innovation

Towards Economic and Social Impact

ANRF: Vertical

ANRF Horizontal

Collaborations

ANRF

Apex for Research & Innovation

Broad Based and Bottom-Up

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Recent ANRF Programs: PAIR, PMECRG, MAHA EV Mission, …

Spoke

HUB

Spoke

D

No. of Spokes: ~7

5-7 such Hub-Spokes Selected (45 entities)

11 “Emerging Hub-Spokes” (80+ entities)

D - Dept

ANRF PAIR: Hub-Spoke Research

Capacity Development of Aspiring

Institutions with Lead Institutions

PM Early Career Research Grant (PM-ECRG)

718 ECRG Grantees

MAHA-EV Mission

7 E-Nodes: Each e-node is

5-7 Institutes +

5-10 industry partners

~175 – 200 entities

SERB Programs subset launched in ANRF

ARG program (relaunched version of SERB Core Research Grant)

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VERTICAL MISSIONS & CHALLENGES: �EXAMPLE CANDIDATES

Cross-disciplinary, Cross-Ministerial & Partner co-funding to help prioritization

Candidate Missions / Challenges: value chain and India challenges

Pipeline: MAHA 6G, MAHA Renewable Energy …

Mission-mode larger collaborative projects focused on outcomes; Economic value chain led vs societally driven India challenges...

Larger investments, fewer projects, and now we are funding mixes of academia, labs, and startups / MSMEs in some cases (with private co-funding)... RDI is program for private sector (non-grant)

ANRF: Vertical

ANRF will drive missions to meet its mandates of economic and societal impact. This includes ANRF-led missions and +ANRF Missions (complementing lead ministries or states).

In ANRF-led missions, ANRF will coordinate ALL stakeholders, interdisciplinary sciences, technologies, translational ecosystems, and maintain a sustained campaign of research and innovation across all TRL levels to bootstrap new science-based value chains (economic impact), and/or societal impact pathways. At the same time ANRF recognizes the role of stakeholders and the private / public sector in scaling up impact. ANRF will aim to graduate missions once enough traction exists, and its catalytic role and capacity can be redeployed elsewhere.

The depicted missions above are an illustrative list of ANRF-led missions where ANRF drives the mission in an anchor role and brings together all stakeholders who in-turn will have significant skin in the game; and fosters sustained & creative collaboration till the value-chains take off , or societal missions are well anchored for the long term in delivering stakeholders.

In addition, ANRF can partner with ministries & states on “+ANRF Missions.” An illustrative list includes AI For Science, Reimagined Defense & Security, Advanced Materials, Next Gen Renewable Technologies & Systems (Photovoltaics, Wind, Batteries, Green H2, …) , Leapfrog Health & Medical Technologies, Reimagined Drug/Pharmaceuticals, Reimagined Infrastructure.

In all cases, ANRF is ultimately a catalyst to accelerate a reaction with exponential impact. Another analogy is to think of ANRF as all the supporting systems to ensure an airplane (“the ecosystem”) takes off. The plane taxies from the gates, coordinates with air traffic control, gets to the runway, accelerates and finally takes off. Long term impact post take-off will be driven by appropriate stakeholders.

Specific ANRF missions at any time will be prioritized based upon stakeholder consultation, co-investments, national priorities, potential for economic leadership, societal impact & approved by Executive Council (EC) on the authority of Governing Board (GB).

+ANRF participation by partners in the ANRF missions are welcome. +ANRF Partnerships (see next section) can also be used as incubation for future missions. ANRF will have an open and non-discriminatory approach to partners; but allow individual partners the agility & ability to express their unique value propositions.
ANRF will think of Missions from a collective outcome stand point, i.e. NOT as a collection of individual projects, and within individual projects not just outcomes such as high quality publications (which are very important and necessary, but NOT sufficient). Impact on the nation via economic or societal value chains, the development of high end human capital, and collaborative social capital in the process is what matters. ��There are two broad categories of outcomes: �1. Value-Chain Missions: To bootstrap and jumpstart new deep science- and deep technology-based value chains to emerge from India.
2. Societal Missions: To reimagine societal challenges, develop leapfrog / transformational solutions to significant societal challenges using an interdisciplinary approach across stakeholders.

By necessity, this will involve the participation of multiple types of stakeholders and entities (academia, industry, MSMEs, startups, labs, non-profits/NGOs, foundations, various parts of government), the sponsorship at the top most levels of each entity involved. Each mission will also focus on the goals/ends which are based upon impact, but have flexibility to pivot, with appropriate governance guard rails. High quality technical artifacts such as papers, patents etc are expected to be necessary, but NOT a sufficient part of the outcome measurements.

Detailed qualitative and quantitative assessments (with appropriate flexibility to empower judgement, and not penalize pivots) will be conducted. The heads of institutions will also be made formally aware of each major evaluation, and subsequent adjustments in resourcing, if any.

A high level apex committee of cross-disciplinary, cross-institutional experts will be convened to continually refine governance norms; and a sustained effort to monitor the quality of governance & process will be created that reports to the apex committee. ANRF will accumulate core capabilities to quickly set up, execute, govern, coordinate and graduate missions, supported by technical and business advisory councils, and mission governance / outcomes management expertise.

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AI For SE: ANRF PROGRAM STRUCTURE

ANRF: Vertical

ANRF Open License (MIT License) for Faster Translation

With

MEITY

DRDO

MoES

DBT

Gates F.

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AI FOR SE: REVOLUTIONIZE HOW INDIA DOES SCIENCE & ENGINEERING

Deep Science

& Engineering

Deep Tech

Products & Startups

Accelerate the “scientific product design loops” &

journey from fundamental sciences to products.

ANRF: Vertical

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Social Media: Transparency & �Celebrating Research(ers) on a national platform

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Social Media: Amplifying Impact & Ease of Doing Science

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SARAL: Democratising Research using AI & Social Media

SARAL – Simplified & Automated Research Amplification and Learning

Demystify and make research content accessible
Publications Videos, Podcasts, Multiple Languages, Posters, Presentations … (integrated into research workflows)
Complemented by an “Open Science Publishing Platform” and a “Anusandhan Community Platform” (problems, mentors, mentees)

Technology transfer (TTO) Acceleration: papers, patents -> product ideas, GTM linkages, VCs etc

Social Media, Open publishing (preprints), Open Data Sharing as a requirement for technical dissemination for ANRF grantees

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Partnerships: Coinvest in ANRF Programs

Gates Foundation

Wadhwani Foundation

ANRF Programs: (incl ministries)

Horizontal, Vertical or Catalytic Programs

Donors or Partners:

Foundations, CSR, Family Offices, Companies

Partner in ANRF Programs.
Fund Flows via ANRF OR direct to grantee

Deploy ANRF Funds

ANRF Grantees:

Universities (Public/Private), Fellows (individuals), Startups, R&I Labs / institutions (Public/Non Public)

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ANUSANDHAN MASTER PLATFORM OF INDIAN RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

ANUMAPI

INSTITUTES

UNIVERSITIES

R&D LABS

TECHNOLOGIES

ACP

NEWS FEED

MINISTRIES &

DEPARTMENTS

INCUBATORS

CoE’s

GEOGRAPHICAL REACH

IMPACT

INNOVATION

TOP PUBLICATIONS

PATENTS

S&T INDICATORS

R&I FEEDS

KPI

Natural Language Query

AI-ENABLED ANALYTICS

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Thank You! Jai Hind!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4b8E6HDsOM

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Science & Engineering

Social Sciences & Humanities

Interdisciplinary Research in Social Sciences and Humanities at the Interface with Science & Engineering/Technology

Convergence Research Centers of Excellence: Bridging Social Sciences, Humanities, S&T

Addressing global challenges and achieving Sustainable Development Goals
Solving economic, environmental and social problems associated with expanding economy and evolving society
Research on public policies that are scientifically sound, socially equitable, culturally rooted and ethically responsible

ANRF: Horizontal

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MAHA: EV Mission

Support state-of-the-art research to develop EV technologies and capabilities in consortium mode
Call announced in Oct 2024
Seven consortia-mode projects called eNodes supported

Tropical EV Batteries and Battery Cells

Indian Institute of Technology (BHU)
ARCI, Hyderabad

Power Electronics, Machines and Drives

Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
CSIR-Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-CEERI), Pilani
National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal

EV Charging Infrastructure

Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

Thrust Areas

eNodes Supported

ANRF: Vertical

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Establishing a national research and innovation ecosystem around 2D materials by setting up a state-of-the-art fabrication and prototyping hub, enabling:

Wafer-scale synthesis, processing, and characterization of 2D materials and their heterostructures.
Translation of 2D materials research into high-TRL technologies, prototypes, and products for applications in electronics, photonics, energy, quantum, sensing, and healthcare.

Objective

Deliverables will depend on the 2D material to be supported, such as Graphene, TMDC (Transition Metal Dichalcogenide), MXenes, 2D Perovskites, etc.

Deliverables Expected

Graphene EMI shielding, biosensors, transparent electrodes �Immediate electronics solutions	TMDCs Post-silicon transistors, quantum/valley devices �Next-gen computing & photonics
MXenes Supercapacitors, batteries, EMI shielding �Practical energy storage today	2D Perovskites High-efficiency solar cells, LEDs, quantum emitters �Future energy breakthroughs

Near Term/ Industry ready

Frontier / High Impact

MAHA Advanced Materials: 2D Material Research Fab and Innovation Hub

ANRF: Vertical

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To support development and commercialization of indigenous, high-quality, affordable, and innovative medical technologies that already have proof-of-concept.
To foster indigenous development of high-priority, high-cost medical technologies that are currently imported.
Partners: ANRF + Department of Health Research + Gates Foundation (₹ 250 Cr each)

Objective

High-quality, affordable and innovative:

Medical equipment: Diagnostic imaging, endoscopes, respiratory support systems, etc.
Devices: Stents, pacemakers, implants, etc.)
Point of care devices: Biosensors, blood gas analysers, wearables, molecular diagnostics, etc.

Indigenous development of high-priority, high-cost, imported medical technologies

High-end imaging: MRI/CT components, mobile ultrasound, mobile X-ray units, advanced surgical robots, endoscopes.
High-performance implants: Orthopaedic, cardiovascular, dental
High-end critical-care equipment: Ventilators, dialysis, cardiac monitors

Deliverables

MAHA: MedTech Mission

ANRF: Vertical

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Spoke

HUB

Spoke

D

D - Dept

Framework:

One Hub and 3 to 7 Spoke institutions
More than one department of each spoke to participate
Partnerships with national research labs
International collaboration through programs such as VAIBHAV

Boosting research capability in universities, in mentorship mode, by pairing them with established top-tier institutions in a hub and spoke framework

Hub and Spoke Framework

Program launched in November 2024

Partnership for Accelerated Innovation and Research (PAIR)

ANRF: Vertical (Upliftment)

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PAIR: Hub and Spoke Institutions (Cat A)

IIT Indore

Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya

Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University

Vikram University

Bundelkhand University

NIT Kurukshetra

IIIT Bhopal

IISc Bangalore

Kumaun University

Calicut University

Shivaji University

Bangalore University

Pondicherry University

NIT Nagaland

IIEST Shibpur

NIT Rourkela

Sambalpur University

Fakir Mohan University

Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University

International Institute of Information Technology Bhubaneswar

Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology

Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology

Odisha University of Technology and Research

Jawaharlal Nehru University

Berhampur University

Cotton University

Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University

Tezpur University

Central University of Punjab

IIT Ropar

Panjab University

Himachal Pradesh University

Kurukshetra University

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University

Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University

Central University of Himachal Pradesh

Central University of Rajasthan

IIT Bombay

Mumbai University

Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural and Technology

Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda

COEP Technological University

IIIT Nagpur

IIIT Pune

NIT Goa

University of Hyderabad

Osmania University

Kannur University

Yogi Vemana University

Sri Venkateswara University

Mahatma Gandhi University

Central University of Karnataka

Hubs	7
Spokes	45
State Univ	32
Central Univ	6
NIT/IIIT	7

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Prime Minister Early Career Research Grant (PMECRG)

Governing Board approved and named the early career program as Prime Minister Early Career Research Grant
Program to support early career researchers in their pursuit for research excellence
Flexible budget and progressive initiatives for ease of doing research introduced

718 Early Career Researchers supported

718 Young Researchers Supported

ANRF: Horizontal

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Foundational Programs: ARG

Advanced Research Grant (ARG)

Core grant for established researchers to pursue frontier, high-impact research
Fostering bold innovative approaches that address contemporary and future challenges
Investigator-driven, bottom-up, competitive-mode project support for individual and collaborative research for upto 5 years
Across all disciplines, Science, Engineering, Scientific & technological interfaces of Humanities & Social Sciences

ANRF: Horizontal

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Thank You! Jai Hind!

Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) | LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/anusandhan-national-research-foundation-anrf/

X/Twitter: https://x.com/ANRFIndia @ANRFIndia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4b8E6HDsOM

NRF in India was originally conceived during the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 as equivalent of USA’s National Science Foundation (NSF) in India.
“There is no single factor more important to the intellectual, social, and economic progress of a nation, and to the enhanced well-being of its citizens, than the
continuous creation and acquisition of new knowledge.”

It was also recognized that NRF would emphasize inter-disciplinary research. NRF would drive the depth (quality, or excellence) of research and mentor the growth of quality research to be done by more institutions.

Note that the goal is to enable more institutions to grow on the quality ladder of research, and NOT to focus on just raw quantity of research. Research has value, only when it is of high quality. Quality of research can come from either its nature (deeply scientific), or an innovative science-driven or technology-driven solution to a deep societal or regional problem (applied), or use-inspired basic research or translation research converting applied prototypes and creating new products and markets, weaving in original thinking and a scientific, principled approach.

ANRF Act 2023 says:
“The Foundation shall serve as the apex body to provide high level strategic direction for research, innovation and entrepreneurship in the fields of natural sciences including mathematical sciences, engineering and technology, environmental and earth sciences, health and agriculture, and scientific and technological interfaces of humanities and social sciences.”

in addition the Act mandates ANRF to “undertake suitable initiatives including …”
“(g) evolving nationally coordinated programmes to identify scientific and practical solutions for societal, developmental, financial and techno-economic challenges;”

In September 2024, the governing board (GB) further authorized the Executive Council (EC) to
“(i) develop a roadmap for short-, medium, and long-term research and development aligned with the goals of Viksit Bharat 2047 for our country….”

The Hon’ble Prime Minister in his GB meeting comments also emphasized societal impact: “ANRF should focus on addressing solutions to existing problems of our society. He emphasized that while problems could be global in nature, but solutions should be localized to address our requirements. “

In effect, the ANRF mandate by 2023-2024 has expanded to be an apex, autonomous statutory body to drive research, innovation, and entrepreneurship ecosystems linked to pathways for “economic” or “societal” impact.

In other words, ANRF in its apex role should make the research and innovation ecosystem a foundation for India's long term inclusive growth (Viksit Bharat 2047). It is important to note that even NSF in USA has economic competitiveness and security as two of its driving rationale, and science as the means to that end.

We further frame these goals as follows in the context of programs and projects:
In the case of economic impact projects/programs, the goal of missions and partnerships is to enable new science-and technology-driven value chains to emerge in India. I.e. Deep science needs to be accelerated towards Deep Tech and subsequent new entrepreneurial ecosystems.
In the case of societal impact projects/programs, the goal is to create a pathway to solve significant societal problems by reimagining the approach and/or leveraging interdisciplinary science and technology based innovation.

The emphasis on “economic value chains” and “societal impact athways” also implies that the teams do not just rest with outcomes like high quality technical publications (which are necessary, but not sufficient), but go on the difficult but arduous journey of understanding user needs, creating markets (which are coherent collection of user needs), considering economic or societal cost measures as a first-class citizen inspiring the creative process, and driving collaboration between diverse stakeholders to solve problems together. In turn, this will lead to greater impact of their publications.

This is also emphasized by the Hon’ble PM in the Sept 2024 GB where he said: “ … publishing papers and attending conferences should not be an end goal in itself for our students and faculty. Instead, he exhorted the scientific community to set big targets, focus on attaining them, and doing path-breaking research.”

Impact assessment will also be re-defined. The process and the approach taken, and learning is as important as the outcome. Success or failure are just two outcomes – with no stigma attached to the latter. What matters is the articulation of the learning gained in both pathways, proactive pivoting if the desired outcome is significantly less likely, and with demonstrated grit / determination / creativity to find pathways to an impactful outcome. The governance process of these projects, the transparency is equally important to allow both the formal measurement and ability to give constructive feedback at critical points along the journey.