KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 19
Minister for Education, Science, and Technology Bidhya Bhattarai emphasized the need for investment in high-tech laboratories for the country's prosperity.
Speaking at a program marking the 42nd anniversary of the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), Minister Bhattarai, who also serves as the pro-chancellor of the Academy, urged efforts toward the modernization of homegrown knowledge.
"The future of the nation depends on the younger generation and their innovation. To support this, the use of artificial intelligence in the education sector should be expanded by institutionalizing a network mechanism," she added.
She also praised NAST for its contributions to knowledge production in areas such as disease alleviation, waste management, botany, and climate change.
Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission (NPC), Prof. Dr. Shivaraj Adhikari, emphasized the need for collaboration between NAST and the NPC in the fields of science and innovation, advocating for the inclusion of special provisions at the policy level.
Vice Chancellor of NAST, Dr. Dilip Subba, expressed hope for further assistance from the Ministry in the future.
During the event, 55 individuals were honored for their significant contributions to research and various other fields.
On this occasion, the Nature Conservation Prize was awarded to Ramesh Bahadur Basnet, an official of the Ministry of Forest and Environment, who received a cash prize of Rs 200,000.
Similarly, Dr. Devraj Joshi received the Science Prize, which included a cash award of Rs 100,000, while Dr. Dipendra Parajuli was honored with the Technology Sector Prize.
