{"id":39996,"date":"2025-08-08T16:47:22","date_gmt":"2025-08-08T11:17:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/2025\/08\/08\/we-saw-science-happen-icmr-shine-program-sparks-wonder-in-13000-indian-students\/"},"modified":"2025-08-08T16:47:22","modified_gmt":"2025-08-08T11:17:22","slug":"we-saw-science-happen-icmr-shine-program-sparks-wonder-in-13000-indian-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/2025\/08\/08\/we-saw-science-happen-icmr-shine-program-sparks-wonder-in-13000-indian-students\/","title":{"rendered":"We Saw Science Happen: ICMR SHINE Program Sparks Wonder in 13,000 Indian Students"},"content":{"rendered":"
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New Delhi [India], August 8: <\/b>Some came in buses, others in travellers. A few arrived in pressed uniforms, while many were dressed in their everyday attire. But by the end of the day, all <\/span>13,150 students<\/b> who walked into ICMR labs across India left with something new: a spark. A thought. Maybe even a plan.<\/span><\/p>\n

SHINE<\/b> \u2013 short for <\/span>Science, Health & Innovation for Nextgen Explorers<\/i><\/b> \u2013 wasn\u2019t a loud campaign. It didn\u2019t flood headlines or break the internet. But in labs from Delhi to Dibrugarh, it gave teenagers across <\/span>16 states and union territories<\/b> something that no textbook could: a real, breathing encounter with science.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Day Science Took Off Its Lab Coat<\/b><\/h3>\n

Now, let\u2019s be honest. Science has a bit of a branding issue. For many school kids, it\u2019s still just that complex subject with tough exams and diagrams they cram at midnight. What SHINE did \u2013 on the <\/span>7th and 8th of August<\/b> \u2013 was gently flip that idea on its head.<\/span><\/p>\n

Organized by the <\/span>Indian Council of Medical Research<\/b><\/a> (ICMR)<\/b> along with the <\/span>Department of Health Research<\/b><\/a> (DHR)<\/b>, this nationwide open day invited students from <\/span>over 300 schools<\/b> into actual research labs \u2013 places that normally keep outsiders, especially kids, at arm\u2019s length.<\/span><\/p>\n

But not this time. Lab doors opened wide. Posters went up. Scientists waited. And in walked India\u2019s nextgen.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is What We Do \u2013 and You Can Too\u201d<\/b><\/h3>\n

There were no fake promises or flashy lights. Just real researchers doing real work. Students joined <\/span>guided tours<\/b> of working laboratories. They saw how samples are handled. They watched <\/span>live demonstrations<\/b> of experiments in progress.<\/span><\/p>\n

And most beautifully, they asked questions.<\/span><\/p>\n

One boy up North wanted to know if AI could predict disease outbreaks. A girl from down South asked how Covaxin was developed so fast. A curious group in the East huddled around a researcher explaining how TB is diagnosed in the field.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The mascot \u2013 <\/span>Dr. Curio<\/b> \u2013 helped ease nerves. But it was the human stories that really landed.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

One scientist, in between showing her work, casually mentioned how she had failed her Class 11 chemistry exam \u2013 and still made it here. That earned more applause than any video.<\/span><\/p>\n

When Science Felt Personal<\/b><\/h3>\n

Each centre screened four short films, showcasing India\u2019s cutting-edge public health efforts:<\/span><\/p>\n