The Ministry of Science and Technology’s CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) held a ceremony to mark 75 years of Vigyan Pragati, a Hindi science magazine that has been bringing scientific knowledge to the public since its launch in 1952. The platinum jubilee event brought together senior officials, academics and science communicators to reflect on the magazine’s contribution and discuss the future of science communication.
What happened at the ceremony
The main ceremony took place in August 2026 and included the release of the August 2026 special issue of Vigyan Pragati along with other CSIR-NIScPR publications including Manav Swasthya Aur Nirogi Jeevan and Romanchak Vigyan Kathayen. The event announced winners of the Vigyan Pragati @75 Science Story and Science Cartoon Competitions and screened a video documenting the magazine’s history. The editorial and design teams were formally recognised for their contributions.
A panel discussion titled “75 Years of Vigyan Pragati: Legacy, Discourse and Future” examined the magazine’s role and its place in modern science communication. Separate dialogue sessions focused on how cartoons can explain science and the relationship between human creativity and artificial intelligence in writing about science.
Ahead of the main event, CSIR-NIScPR conducted a workshop on 21 August 2026 with over 50 school students from Delhi. Participants engaged in science poetry writing, cartoon-making and a science quiz called Jigyasa, and received certificates for their involvement.
What this means for you
If you read Hindi or support science education, this milestone shows that accessible science communication in Indian languages has a long history and continues to evolve. The magazine’s focus on quality content in simple Hindi demonstrates that scientific knowledge can reach readers without requiring English proficiency. The discussions about artificial intelligence and new media suggest that platforms like Vigyan Pragati are adapting to keep science communication relevant as technology changes.