CSIR-NIScPR launches five popular science magazines in Indian languages

NEW DELHI: Science is getting a multilingual makeover. On the 85th Foundation Day of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Union minister for science and technology Jitendra Singh launched five popular science magazines in Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Bengali and Assamese.

Published by CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR), the publications are aimed at making scientific knowledge more accessible to readers in their respective languages while showcasing research, innovations and scientific developments from across the country.

The five magazines are বিজ্ঞান লহৰ (Bigyan Lahar) in Assamese, বিজ্ঞান বৃত্তান্ত (Bigyan Brittanto) in Bengali, विज्ञान क्षितिज (Vidnyan Kshitij) in Marathi, அறிவியல் அறிக்கையாளர் (Ariviyal Arikkaiyalar) in Tamil and విజ్ఞాన్ వెలుగు (Vigyan Velugu) in Telugu.

The initiative expands CSIR-NIScPR’s existing popular science publishing portfolio, which includes Science Reporter in English, Vigyan Pragati in Hindi and Science Ki Duniya in Urdu. CSIR has a long-standing record of using popular science publications to take scientific developments to wider audiences.

One of the notable features of the new magazines is the use of artificial intelligence to assist with translation. Selected content from CSIR-NIScPR’s existing magazines is translated into the five languages using AI-assisted processes.

The technology, however, is being used as an aid rather than a replacement for editorial oversight. The translated material is reviewed, proofread, fact-checked and refined by human experts to ensure scientific accuracy, language quality and readability.

The magazines will also carry original articles written in the respective Indian languages. This is intended to encourage science writing in regional languages while bringing greater visibility to scientific achievements and developments relevant to different parts of India.

The move follows a broader effort by India’s science institutions to communicate research beyond traditional English-language audiences. CSIR-NIScPR has previously published books and periodicals in multiple Indian languages as part of its science communication work.

The five publications have been coordinated by Mukesh Ambadas Pund and Meher Wan, with editorial, design and institutional teams contributing to the project.

The editorial representatives at the launch included Paramananda Barman, editor, and Bornali Sharma, associate editor, Bigyan Lahar; Uttam Kumar Jana, editor, Bigyan Brittanto; Mukesh Ambadas Pund, editor, Vidnyan Kshitij; S. Bhuvanesh, editor, and L. Sandhiya, associate editor, Ariviyal Arikkaiyalar; and N. K. Prasanna, editor, Vigyan Velugu.

The launch was attended by N. Kalaiselvi, director general, CSIR and secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and Geetha Vani Rayasam, director, CSIR-NIScPR. The wider CSIR@85 celebrations have also focused on taking scientific achievements and technologies closer to the public.

For CSIR, which began its journey in 1942, the 85th Foundation Day marks more than a milestone. The organisation has been using the occasion to highlight its contribution to India’s scientific and technological development, including research, technology transfers, industry engagement and public outreach.

The five new magazines add another layer to that outreach effort, taking science communication into more Indian-language spaces and giving regional readers both translated scientific content and original writing in languages they use every day.