Under the Patent Acquisition and Collaborative Research (PACE) programme, Department of Scientific & Industrial Research (DSIR) signed two separate Tripartite Agreements .

The agreements were signed yesterday with M/s Devashish Polymers Private Ltd (DPPL), Mumbai and M/s GPS Renewables Pvt Ltd, Bangalore & Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune.

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While the first one aims to develop compounded elastomers and evaluate their performance for diverse applications under this project, the second one seeks to scale up and conduct pilot trials for enhanced microbial methane production from agricultural residues using anaerobic fungi.

The PACE programme by the DSIR fosters collaborative research between Indian industries and R&D organizations, academic institutions, or universities. It emphasises innovative work and supports the development of new technologies focused on the commercialisation of products and processes addressing unmet industrial needs. Proposals targeting specific industrial sectors with practical applications are encouraged in this program. Projects demonstrating proof-of-concept with an aim to address significant unmet industrial needs are supported under this programme. It supports projects with a duration of 1 to 3 years.

During the agreement signing ceremony, among those present included Dr N Kalaiselvi, Secretary, DSIR & Director General, CSIR; Dr Vipin Chandra Shukla, Scientist-G, & Head PACE; Commodore (Retd.) Amit Rastogi, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) and Dr Prashant Dhakephalkar, Director, Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune.

Dr Kalaiselvi, in her opening remarks emphasised that the PACE programme represents a cornerstone of DSIR’s commitment to fostering innovation and collaborative research in India. ”Through this initiative, we aim to catalyze the development of new products, processes, and solutions that are not only technologically sound but also have a clear path leading to commercialization,” she said.

She congratulated both M/s Devashish Polymers Private Ltd. (DPPL), Mumbai and M/s GPS Renewables Pvt Ltd, Bangalore along with Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune, for undertaking the project which is poised to address pressing national challenges and contribute significantly to India’s development goals.

Dr Shukla mentioned that DSIR remains committed to nurturing ideas that transform into impactful solutions, and the PACE program is a testament to this mission. ”Together, we can drive sustainable industrial growth and technological self-reliance for India,” he said.