PM Professorship Signals a Shift: India Begins Valuing Its Best Scientific Minds at Home
In a move that could reshape India’s academic and research landscape—and slow the long-lamented brain drain—the Government of India has instituted the Prime Minister Professorship, a new national initiative under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF).
Among the first scientists selected for this prestigious role is Dr Kishore M. Paknikar, a renowned microbiologist and nanotechnology expert, former Director of the Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune, and Distinguished Visiting Professor at IIT Bombay.
Dr Paknikar will be hosted at COEP Technological University, Pune, for a five-year tenure, marking not just a personal milestone but a broader policy statement: India is beginning to meaningfully reward and retain scientific excellence within its own universities.
A Message to India’s Scientific Community
For decades, many of India’s brightest scientific minds have looked abroad—often compelled by better research infrastructure, financial security, and long-term institutional support.
The Prime Minister Professorship seeks to address this imbalance by offering recognition, resources, and purpose to senior, accomplished scientists who continue to remain research-active.
Under the scheme, each professor will receive:
- ₹2.5 lakh per month as fellowship
- ₹24 lakh per year as a research grant
- ₹1 lakh per year as overhead support
- A fixed tenure of five years
More importantly, the programme offers something beyond money: institutional respect, leadership roles, and the opportunity to shape future generations of researchers within India.
A Different Model of Excellence
Unlike traditional fellowships that focus solely on individual research output, the Prime Minister Professorship places highly experienced, often superannuated but research-active scientists directly into universities that have strong teaching capabilities but lack sustained research leadership.
These are not honorary positions.
They involve full-time relocation, deep engagement with the host institution, and a long-term commitment to building research culture from the ground up.
Dr Paknikar is one of 21 professors appointed nationwide in the first phase—each expected to act as a catalyst for transformation.
A Scientist Who Chose to Give Back
Widely respected for his work in microbiology, nanotechnology, environmental biotechnology and nanomaterials, Dr Paknikar has spent decades bridging fundamental science with translational research.
He has also mentored numerous young scientists and helped build research teams and institutions.
Reacting to his selection, he described the honour not merely as recognition, but as a responsibility.
“This is an opportunity to give back to the academic system that shaped us,” he said, adding that embedding experienced scientists within universities can create lasting cultural change in how research is valued and pursued.
Building Research Where Students Are
At COEP Technological University, Dr Paknikar plans to mentor faculty members, doctoral scholars and early-career researchers.
His focus will be on interdisciplinary, problem-driven research aligned with national priorities, including:
- Water technology
- Environmental sustainability
- Advanced materials
- Industry-linked innovation
Strengthening laboratory culture, fostering collaborations, and encouraging real-world impact will be central to his role.
A Step Toward Ending Brain Drain
By formally recognising senior scientists of repute and giving them the tools to lead meaningful research within India, the Prime Minister Professorship sends a strong signal: world-class research careers are possible at home.
If sustained and expanded, such initiatives could make young scientists think twice before leaving the country in search of opportunity.
Instead of exporting talent, India may finally begin retaining, rewarding and reinvesting in its own intellectual capital.
The programme also promises to reduce disparities in higher education by spreading research excellence beyond a handful of elite institutions—bringing quality science closer to where the majority of students are trained.
A Promising Beginning
The selection of scientists like Dr Kishore M. Paknikar reflects a growing recognition that nation-building in the 21st century depends as much on laboratories as on infrastructure.
By valuing experience, leadership and long-term commitment, India may be laying the foundation for a more confident, self-reliant and globally competitive research ecosystem.
And this is what many in India had been expecting from the government for a long time.
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