Addressing the 70th foundation day function of Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), Dr Jitendra Singh, minister of state, science and technology and earth sciences (independent charge), Government of India, said that the government is committed to increase the funding for scientific research. He also invited the Indian industry to contribute more for research and development. "Government will also encourage Public Private Partnership (PPP) in view of the emerging areas of innovation", he added.

Dr Singh said, IICT Hyderabad has also set up a Biotech Incubation Centre and in this way various scientific institutions based in Hyderabad could coordinate with each other to develop this city as a knowledge hub of India.

"Scientific researchers are the real nation builders who work day and night away from the limelight of media or public and remain unaffected by upheavals in their surroundings," Minister added.

"The best examples of this is the IICT at Hyderabad which was set up in 1944 during World War II and back home Quit India Movement was at its peak but inspite of all this, the then Nizam of Hyderabad and group of his advisors demonstrated the vision to set up such an institute for the benefit of future generations.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that over the last seven decades, the IICT and other establishments of the CSIR have not only fulfilled the academic appetite of researchers but have also created technologies which have contributed to the economy of the nation.

Referring to US-India Consortium lead by Hyderabad's IICT, Dr. Jitendra Singh disclosed that presently, eleven partnering institutes and the University of Florida are leading the programme from US side.

Union minister for urban development and parliamentary affairs, Venkaiah Naidu, who hails from Andhra Pradesh, said that this institution is the pride of Hyderabad. He emphasized the need to have more women working in the area of science and technology. Mr Naidu said that though he himself is not a student of science but he understands the value of science for the benefit of the society.

Dr Lakshmi Kantam, director of IICT Hyderabad, senior scientists Dr Ahmed Kamal and Dr R B N Prasad also spoke on the occasion. Earlier, Dr Jitendra Singh presented CSIR - IICT Foundation Day awards to eminent scientists and also released a book titled "CSIR-IICT@70 years".