Who was the Chief Guest at the ESTIC 2026 curtain raiser hosted by ICGEB New Delhi?
- A.Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale, Secretary, DBT
- B.Dr. Ramesh V. Sonti, Director, ICGEB New Delhi
- C.Prof. Gobardhan Das, Member, NITI Aayog
- D.Dr. Dhananjay Kumar Tiwary, MD, BIRAC
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is Prof. Gobardhan Das, Member, NITI Aayog. He graced the curtain raiser as Chief Guest, spoke of India's growing scientific capabilities and the potential of biotechnology to drive national development, and cited the development of COVID-19 vaccines as an instance of basic biological research leading to life-saving innovation. Option A, Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale, is the Secretary of the Department of Biotechnology; he welcomed the participants and used the example of penicillin to argue that discoveries matter most when they are scaled up for society. Option B, Dr. Ramesh V. Sonti, is the Director of ICGEB New Delhi; he presented the overview of the conclave and said DBT would steer the session on Systems and Synthetic Biology. Option D, Dr. Dhananjay Kumar Tiwary, is Scientist-H at DBT and Managing Director of BIRAC; he spoke on healthcare, biomanufacturing, biodesign and the BioE3 Policy. All four were present, but only one was the Chief Guest.
Read the full article: ESTIC 2026 Curtain Raiser Held at ICGEB New Delhi
Practice Questions
Which body is organising the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC 2026)?
- A.Indian Council of Medical Research
- B.Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
- C.Indian Space Research Organisation
- D.Department of Atomic Energy
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ESTIC 2026 is a flagship national platform organised by CSIR under the guidance of the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, and it is scheduled for 27 to 29 October 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
Read the full explanation →How many thematic areas does ESTIC 2026 cover?
- A.8
- B.10
- C.12
- D.15
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The conclave covers twelve key thematic areas, which include System and Synthetic Biology, advanced manufacturing, energy technologies, artificial intelligence, semiconductors and advanced healthcare, and the whole exercise is tied to the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
Read the full explanation →The project aims to advance the propulsion technology to which Technology Readiness Level?
- A.TRL 6
- B.TRL 7
- C.TRL 8
- D.TRL 9
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The programme is meant to carry the propulsion technology from Technology Readiness Level six, where a system has been proved in a relevant environment, up to Technology Readiness Level nine, where it is flight proven and ready for wider operational use, through further development, validation and deployment work.
Read the full explanation →The green propulsion system being developed by Manastu Space is built around which propellant?
- A.Hydrazine
- B.Liquid hydrogen
- C.Hydrogen peroxide with additives
- D.Kerosene with liquid oxygen
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The system is described as a green propulsion solution that uses a hydrogen peroxide based propellant with additives, supported by an integrated engine and catalyst assembly that includes an ultra-high-temperature ceramic catalyst meant to survive demanding conditions.
Read the full explanation →How much support has the Technology Development Board sanctioned to Manastu Space Technologies under the RDI Fund?
- A.Rs 96 crore
- B.Rs 116 crore
- C.Rs 277.63 crore
- D.Rs 350 crore
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The Technology Development Board, which functions under the Department of Science and Technology, signed an agreement with Manastu Space Technologies Private Limited of Navi Mumbai for financial support of Rs 116 crore drawn from the Research Development and Innovation Fund, and this money is being routed as Optionally Convertible Debt.
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