Science Facilitator and Promoter.
Dr Sanjeev Kumar Varshney is a Dehradun based Science facilitator and promoter. He is Member, Editorial Board of a journal -Proceedings of the Indian National Science Academy, published by Springer Verlag. He has more than 33 years of experience promoting research and connecting scientific groups across the nations.
He is a Member of Academic Council of HS Gaur Sagar Central University, Sagar; Research Council Member for JSS Science & Technology University, Mysore and Manipal University, Jaipur.
He was Head of the International Scientific Cooperation in the Ministry / Department of Science & Technology, Government of India till January,2024. He joined DST in the year 1990 and had facilitated international scientific cooperation from the Department of Science & Technology with its bilateral, multilateral, and regional scientific partners.
From 2017 till January 2024, he was the Indian Co-Chair, Governing Body of the bi-national Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC) and the binational U.S-India Science and Technology Endowment Fund (USISTEF); both promoting joint Industrial R&D, Board of Director of a private limited company, Global Innovation & Technology Alliance (GITA) and was Member, Governing Council of the International Advanced Research Centre of Powder Metallurgy (ARCI) a R&D lab of DST, Govt of India. He was the Indian Focal Point for BRICS Working Group on Science & Technology and OECD Committee on Science & Technology Policy.
He was also the Governing Board member of the US-Indian Education Foundation (USIEF) during 2018-2022 and the Member, Board of Research Studies in Department of Geology, Aligarh Muslim University during 2018-2020. He was Plenipotentiary Representative of India to the International Centre for Science & Technology Information (ICSTI), Moscow during 2012-2023.
He has worked as Counsellor (S&T) with Embassy of India in Moscow to facilitate bilateral scientific cooperation between India and Russia during April 2008 - June 2011. He has been actively contributing to promotion of international scientific cooperation as well as scientific – industrial cooperation.
He completed Master in Geology in 1984 from Aligarh Muslim University with University Medal for obtaining first position. He qualified UGC NET in 1985 for Junior Research Fellowship and lectureship. He pursued research at University of Delhi during 1985-1990 on Himalayan river systems, sedimentation, diagenetic and tectonic modifications. He was also awarded Dr DN Wadia Research Fellowship in 1986 for his research on Himalayan Geology. He has been conferred Doctor of Science (DSc) (Honorary Causa) by Amity University, Rajasthan.
He is Life Fellow of Geological Society of India, Bangalore; Nepal Geological Society, Kathmandu and member of International Association of Sedimentologists, Oxford. He also has numerous certifications to his credit. He also taught at Kurukshetra University in 1990.
He has written several articles on Science Policies focusing on International Scientific cooperation. He is also involved in science popularization for which he writes regularly in newspapers, magazines and journals (online/offline).
Lectures delivered at various institutions
1. Importance of Research (This deals with why one should do research, what are different elements needs to be pursued, what one can do after completing a research degree)
2. GOI Schemes for R&D Supports - Research grants and Fellowships (It gives a snapshot of various research grants schemes and fellowships being offered by DST, DBT, CSIR, MOES, ICMR, ICAR, INSA)
3. Approaches to International Scientific Cooperation (It suggests how collaboration could be developed at student level, faculty level, institutional level, national level)
4. Effective Project Writing for Grants (It suggests various points to be kept in mind to make project proposal more professional)
5. Snapshot of Scholarships / Fellowships offered by foreign agencies/ Universities to Indian researchers (It makes a presentation on various scholarships and fellowships available annually)
6. Research Priority areas of various Indian funding agencies (It deals with new dynamics, policy changes and new investment by various agencies)
7. Research grants for Industry (It deals with how academic and scientific institute could collaborate with industry and gain grants for new technology, process, product development and commercialization)
8. Science Diplomacy – Deals with Need for Diplomacy in Science.
Lectures delivered at
A. IITs – Bombay, Delhi, Gandhinagar, Goa, Guwahati, Kanpur, Madras, Mandi
B. IISERs – Bhopal, Berhampur, Pune, Tirupati
C. IISc – Bangalore
D. IIMs – Mumbai, Vishakhapatnam
E. NITs – Bhopal, Jaipur, Srinagar (Uttrakhand), Surat, Warangal
F. Central Universities – Aligarh (AMU), HS Gaur Central University Sagar, IGNOU, New Delhi, JNU New Delhi, and University of Delhi,
G. State Universities – Anna University Chennai, Delhi Technical University, GGS Indraprastha University New Delhi, IIITD Delhi, Kumaun University Nainital, Lucknow University, Panjab University Chandigarh, SCRUST Murthal, Sree Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra, University of Mangalore
H. Private Universities – Amity University Noida, Amity University Jharkhand, Amity University Rajasthan, Ashoka University Sonepat, BITS Pilani Goa campus, Chandigarh University, Chitkara University Punjab, Christ University Bangalore, Christ University Delhi NCR, Dronacharya University Gurgaon, GITAM University Vishakhapatnam, GLA University Mathura, Graphic Era Hill University Dehradun, Gujarat University, IILM University, Greater Noida, IIMT University Meerut, JNU Jaipur, JSS S&T University Mysore, JSS University Noida, KL University Vishakhapatnam, KR Mangalam University Gurgaon, Manipal Academy of Higher Education Manipal, Manipal University Jaipur, Nirma University Ahmedabad, NIET Greater Noida, NITTE University Mangalore, Pandit Deen Dayal Energy University, Gandhinagar, Reva University Bangalore, RK Goel Institute of Technology Ghaziabad, Sardar Patel University Mandi, Saveetha University Chennai, SGT University Gurgaon, Sharda University Greater Noida, SRM University Chennai, SRM University Meerut, SRM University Sonepat, UPES Dehradun, VIT Vellore, VIT Chennai,
I. CSIR – AMPRI Bhopal, CDRI Lucknow, IMMT Bhubaneswar, NBRI Lucknow, NGRI Hyderabad, NIScPR New Delhi, NPL New Delhi
J. Other central institutes – AIIMS New Delhi, C-DAC Noida, NDRI Karnal, Indian Institute of Population Research Mumbai, IIA Bangalore, IIEST Shibpur (Kolkata), JNCASR Bangalore, NCBS Bangalore, NIFTEM Kundli, NIPER Gandhinagar,
K. Other Institutes – Geological Society of India Delhi chapter, INSA New Delhi, INYAS New Delhi, NIAS Bangalore,
L. Colleges – AK Garg Engineering College, Ghaziabad, Deshbandhu College New Delhi, Hindu College Delhi, Hindustan College Farah (Mathura), JSS College of Pharmacy Ooty, Kirori Mal College Delhi, Miranda House Delhi, RLA College New Delhi, Sarvjanik College of Engineering Surat, Saveetha Engineering College Chennai, Sri Venkateswara College New Delhi,
M. School students – VSSF Trust School
N. Other platforms – AESIS Europe, BRICS, British Council, CII Technology Meets, FICCI R&D Meets, Indian Ocean Rim Countries, Intel, UN ESCAP, UN CSTD