140 S&T researchers, innovators awarded

PESHAWAR: To promote science and technology, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government honoured 140 outstanding young researchers at a grand science and technology awards ceremony here on Thursday.

Directorate General of Science and Technology (DGST) had arranged the event, marking a milestone in the province’s journey toward fostering a dynamic research culture, said official communique.

Senior government officials, university representatives, researchers, and aspiring scientists participated in the event.Dr Shafqat Ayaz, special assistant to the Chief Minister on ST&IT participated as chief guest, who also presented the awards to the recipients. Among the distinguished guests were Secretary for Science, Technology and IT (ST&IT), Amjad Ali Khan, Director General DGST, Sajjid Shah and Managing Director IT Board.

A total of 54 awards were distributed under two of DGST’s flagship programmes: the Undergraduate Research Support (UGRS) Programme and the Masters Interdisciplinary Research Programme.

Through these initiatives, financial support was extended to students from more than 30 universities across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, underscoring the province’s growing commitment to academic research and applied innovation.

Under the UGRS Programme, 80 final-year undergraduate research projects received grants of Rs150,000 each. The initiative is aimed at encouraging bachelor level students to explore practical locally relevant research topics and bring new ideas in the scheme. Sixty postgraduate students were awarded Rs600,000 each under the Masters Interdisciplinary Research Programme to conduct high-impact, interdisciplinary research.

The master’s programme aligns closely with the province’s 11 Strategic Thrust Areas - eight resource-based sectors (such as gemstones, fruits and vegetables, honey production, herbs and medicinal plants, fisheries, the urban environment, micro-hydro energy, and archaeology) and three high-tech “moonshot” domains: Advanced Materials, Biomedicine, and Space Sciences. Each selected scholar is expected to make a novel scientific contribution during their one-year project.

Dr Shafqat Ayaz applauded the students and the DGST team for their efforts in laying the foundation for a robust research ecosystem. “We are witnessing the rise of a research culture in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. These young minds are not just scholars; they are builders of a better, tech-driven future for our people,” he remarked.