India is world’s third largest startup ecosystem, says tech varsity VC

Professor Shree Prakash Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology (DCRUST), Murthal, said India had developed an ecosystem that nurtured new ideas and created innovative solutions to real-world challenges.

VC Singh was addressing the participants during a three-week international workshop on ‘Bio Information for Genome Annotation’ organised by the Department of Biotechnology under the Fulbright Specialists Program of the United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) at the university.

Professor Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given unprecedented impetus to innovation and entrepreneurship through visionary public policies.

He further said that ‘Startup India’ was a ‘Standup India’ initiative that was launched in 2015. This initiative had made India the third largest start-up ecosystem in the world, with more than 1,12,000 startups spread across 56 industrial sectors.

He said the current workshop mainly focused on the upcoming field of bioinformatics. Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary field of science that uses computer technology to study biological data. It focuses on the use of computational tools and techniques to manage, analyse, and interpret complex biological data. Bioinformatics plays a vital role in decoding biological information such as DNA and protein sequences to gain insights into the molecular underpinnings of life.

Vice-Chancellor Singh said bioinformatics helped researchers understand large data sets, identify patterns, and gain meaningful biological insights.

Professor JS Rana, Dean and Head of the Biotechnology Department, said that the department was organising a three-week international workshop on ‘Bioinformatics for Genome Annotation’ from November 28. The workshop would be organised under the USIEF-Fulbright Specialist Program 2023-2024, with the special presence of Fulbright Specialist Professor Sharon Gusky of Connecticut State Community College, USA, he said.

Professor Rana said forty participants would attend the workshop, which would prove beneficial for students and researchers.

Rana welcomed Professor Sharon Beth Guskey and William Guskey from Connecticut State Community College, USA. He said the workshop focused on the importance of bioinformatics for genome annotation. Participants would learn how genome annotation was helpful in drug discovery, prediction of gene function, vaccine development, and molecular diagnostics.

He said that the Fulbright Specialist Program was a US government initiative that promoted international cooperation through short-term, project-based academic exchanges. The aim of such programmes is to build mutual understanding and solve global challenges by facilitating knowledge sharing, capacity building, and professional development in the host countries.

Programme coordinator Professor Kiran Nehra, organising secretary Professor Anil Sindhu, Professor Pamela, Professor Riti Chaudhary, and others were present during the event.