Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, announced a major upgrade for six of the nation’s eight science and technology clusters during the Fourth All S&T Clusters' Meet at Panjab University. These selected hubs are officially advancing to Phase 2.0, transforming into National Technology Accelerators. This strategic evolution aims to fast-track cutting-edge innovations, directly addressing critical industrial demands and pressing societal needs across the country.

Prof. Sood highlighted international partnerships with the India-Australia Smart Farm Network and the UK Catapult Network. He urged all eight clusters to gamify STEM subjects, drawing inspiration from the Pune City S&T Cluster’s successful Gamification of Chemistry initiative to increase engagement.

The PU-IIT Ropar Regional Accelerator for Holistic Innovations Foundation (PI-RAHI) hosted the meeting. Chaired by Prof. Sood, the session featured key attendance from the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA), including Scientific Secretary Dr. Parvinder Maini and Scientist 'F' Dr. Vishal Choudhary.

Dr. Maini opened the event by highlighting the steady growth of Science and Technology (S&T) Clusters and presenting innovative solutions born from inter-Cluster teamwork, such as D-PoC, SynPharma, Kalaanubhav.in, E-Yantram, and i-Passport. Furthermore, she stressed the importance of forging a connected national network by aligning with key initiatives like RuTAG, RSVCs, I-STEM, and DPIIT.

Commending BCKIC’s work on marine litter, Dr. Maini urged the alignment of cluster initiatives with environmental sustainability and Swachhata. She challenged attendees to focus on the three pillars—"Replicate, Scale, and Collaborate"—to drive deeper global and industry partnerships.

The action-packed, two-day event drove innovation forward with the rollout of an Automatic Weather Station, EV charging infrastructure, the Phycotree Report, and the Kalaanubhav portal. Alongside showcases of SPARKS 2.0, IGNITE 2.0, GINI 2.0, and the STI Ecosystem Reports, the gathering celebrated global ties through the UK Catapults–S&T Clusters partnership and an MoU signing. The event concluded with a traditional crafts showcase and strategic consultations spanning all eight innovation clusters. 

Prof. Sood marked the second day of the S&T Clusters' Meet by opening a new AI-backed Digital Podiatric Clinic at Panjab University. He also announced the 2nd International Conference on S&T Clusters, highlighting a ongoing commitment to local technology deployment, partnerships, and homegrown innovation.