The Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India, Prof. @AjaySoodIISc, chaired the Fourth All S&T Clusters’ Meet at Panjab University, Chandigarh, on 9 October 2026. The Meet was hosted by the PU-IIT Ropar Regional Accelerator for Holistic Innovations Foundation (PI-RAHI). He was joined by Dr (Mrs) Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary and Dr Vishal Choudhary, Scientist 'F', Office of the PSA. Prof. Sood highlighted the progress of the S&T Cluster initiative, with six of eight Clusters advancing to Phase 2.0 and evolving into “National Technology Accelerators” to address industrial and societal needs. He also noted international collaborations with India-Australia Smart Farm Network and the UK Catapult Network, and urged all eight Clusters to adopt gamification of STEM subjects, inspired by the Pune City S&T Cluster’s Gamification of Chemistry initiative. Dr. Maini in her opening remarks, highlighted the sustained growth of S&T Clusters and showcased solutions emerging from inter-Cluster collaboration, including D-PoC, SynPharma, Kalaanubhav.in, E-Yantram and i-Passport. She emphasised building a connected national Cluster network through linkages with RuTAG, RSVCs, I-STEM and DPIIT initiatives. Appreciating BCKIC’s work on marine litter, she stressed aligning Cluster activities with Swachhata and environmental sustainability. She urged participants to explore opportunities to “Replicate, Scale and Collaborate” to strengthen industry and international partnerships. The two-day Meet featured the launch of an Automatic Weather Station, EV charging and battery-swapping stations, the Phycotree Report and Kalaanubhav portal, alongside showcases of SPARKS 2.0, IGNITE 2.0, GINI 2.0 and STI Ecosystem Reports. Key highlights included an MoU signing, the UK Catapults–S&T Clusters collaboration announcement, a traditional crafts exhibition, stakeholder consultations and deliberations by all eight Clusters. On the second day, Prof. Sood inaugurated a Digital Podiatric Clinic at Panjab University Health Centre and announced the 2nd International Conference on S&T Clusters, advancing technology deployment, partnerships and indigenous innovation. Read the full PIB here: pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.… @BeSTCluster | @driiv_delhi | @jckic_jodhpur | @PI_RAHI | @BCKIC | @RICH_Hyd | @ClusterPune | @AP_MedTechZone