Pariksha SaathiESTIC 2026 curtain-raiser: second science, technology and innovation conclave at Bharat Mandapam from 27 to 29 October
The Department of Science and Technology held the curtain-raiser for the second edition of the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC 2026) at Technology Bhawan, New Delhi, on 15 October 2026. ESTIC 2026 will be held from 27 to 29 October 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, and is being organised this year by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) on the theme 'Creative minds catalyzing science and empowering technology'. The event highlighted Autonomous Systems, Physical AI and Robotics as one of the conclave's 12 thematic areas; NITI Aayog Member Abhay Karandikar, the chief guest, called Physical AI the next stage in the evolution of AI, and DST Secretary Umesh Waghmare noted that DST has set up 25 Technology Innovation Hubs under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems, including TiHAN at IIT Hyderabad, IHFC at IIT Delhi and ARTPARK at IISc Bengaluru. The ESTIC 2026 brochure was soft-launched at the hybrid event, which is expected to bring together Indian and international scientists, Nobel laureates, industry, start-ups and young researchers.
Drafted with AI assistance from the official PIB release linked above and checked against it by a second AI pass. Not line-edited by a human.
Learning context
The first ESTIC was held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, from 3 to 5 November 2025 and was inaugurated by the Prime Minister. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), founded on 26 September 1942, is India’s largest publicly funded research and development organisation, with the Prime Minister as its President. The National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) was approved by the Union Cabinet in December 2018 with an outlay of Rs 3,660 crore over five years; its Technology Innovation Hubs are hosted at IITs, IISc and other institutes.
Reference: Department of Science and Technology (NM-ICPS and ESTIC)
Check yourself: which organisation is organising ESTIC 2026?
The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), according to the release; the Department of Science and Technology hosted the curtain-raiser at Technology Bhawan.
Revision task: from this release, note the dates, venue, theme and organiser of ESTIC 2026 and the number of thematic areas, and keep them apart from the standing facts about CSIR and NM-ICPS above.
Test yourself
Where and when will ESTIC 2026, the second Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave, be held?
Show the answer
Answer: Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, 27-29 October 2026
ESTIC 2026 will be held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, from 27 to 29 October 2026, organised this year by CSIR on the theme 'Creative minds catalyzing science and empowering technology'; Technology Bhawan only hosted the curtain-raiser.
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