Now in its third edition, the India Research Tour will visit 29 institutions across 15 cities and seven states. It will focus on key themes including Open Access, research integrity, diversity and inclusion, and ethical scholarship. This edition will also spotlight the role of women researchers in building India’s knowledge economy.
Addressing the gathering, Smt. Thakur emphasized that empowering women researchers is crucial for an inclusive and progressive India. She said the Government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is dedicated to promoting research, innovation, and equitable access to opportunities in education and academia.
“Empowering women researchers and scholars is central to building an inclusive knowledge economy,” Thakur stated. She added that by promoting ethical research and democratizing access to knowledge, initiatives like the India Research Tour directly contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat.
Focus on Research Ethics and Gender Equality
The Minister applauded Springer Nature and ICSSR for integrating discussions on gender equality, publication ethics, and the Her Research, Our Future initiative. She highlighted the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to create safe, inclusive, and opportunity-rich environments for women scholars in research institutions across India.
She underscored that ethical publication practices, transparency in research, and inclusivity in policymaking are key to shaping a robust and equitable knowledge ecosystem.
Collaborators and Key Themes
The event was attended by Mr. Frank Vrancken Peeters, CEO of Springer Nature, Mr. Venkatesh Sarvasiddhi, Managing Director of Springer Nature India, and Prof. Dhananjay Singh, Member Secretary, ICSSR. The 2025 tour will reach leading academic institutions such as IIT Kharagpur, IIT Kanpur, IIT Guwahati, IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow, IIM Bodh Gaya, and Maulana Azad Medical College in New Delhi.
Key Pillars of India Research Tour 2025
- Promoting Open Access (OA) and awareness of One Nation, One Subscription (ONOS).
- Advancing Research Integrity and exploring the role of AI in publishing.
- Encouraging diversity and inclusion through Her Research, Our Future.
- Supporting UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by democratizing knowledge.
As one of the world’s leading research publishers, Springer Nature continues to play a key role in promoting open science and empowering global collaboration through its research platforms and publications. The India Research Tour 2025 reaffirms India’s growing commitment to ethical, inclusive, and women-led research advancement.