New Delhi [India], August 8: Some came in buses, others in travellers. A few arrived in pressed uniforms, while many were dressed in their everyday attire. But by the end of the day, all 13,150 students who walked into ICMR labs across India left with something new: a spark. A thought. Maybe even a plan.

SHINE – short for Science, Health & Innovation for Nextgen Explorers – wasn’t a loud campaign. It didn’t flood headlines or break the internet. But in labs from Delhi to Dibrugarh, it gave teenagers across 16 states and union territories something that no textbook could: a real, breathing encounter with science.

The Day Science Took Off Its Lab Coat

Now, let’s be honest. Science has a bit of a branding issue. For many school kids, it’s still just that complex subject with tough exams and diagrams they cram at midnight. What SHINE did – on the 7th and 8th of August – was gently flip that idea on its head.

Organized by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) along with the Department of Health Research (DHR), this nationwide open day invited students from over 300 schools into actual research labs – places that normally keep outsiders, especially kids, at arm’s length.

But not this time. Lab doors opened wide. Posters went up. Scientists waited. And in walked India’s nextgen.

“This is What We Do – and You Can Too”

There were no fake promises or flashy lights. Just real researchers doing real work. Students joined guided tours of working laboratories. They saw how samples are handled. They watched live demonstrations of experiments in progress.

And most beautifully, they asked questions.

One boy up North wanted to know if AI could predict disease outbreaks. A girl from down South asked how Covaxin was developed so fast. A curious group in the East huddled around a researcher explaining how TB is diagnosed in the field.

The mascot – Dr. Curio – helped ease nerves. But it was the human stories that really landed.

One scientist, in between showing her work, casually mentioned how she had failed her Class 11 chemistry exam – and still made it here. That earned more applause than any video.

When Science Felt Personal

Each centre screened four short films, showcasing India’s cutting-edge public health efforts:

• The making of Covaxin, India’s homegrown COVID-19 vaccine
• The ambitious iDrone project – yes, real drones delivering medicines
• Our fight against tuberculosis, told through real cases and solutions
• And Vishanu Yudh Abhyas, a national drill to prep for future pandemics

These weren’t dry, policy-heavy films. They were storytelling pieces – built to speak to young minds. They worked.

“I didn’t know India was doing this much,” said a 15-year-old from the West. His friend nodded and added, “Nobody tells us this stuff.”

But SHINE did.

A Date with Legacy

The second day of SHINE, August 8th, wasn’t picked randomly. It marked the birth anniversary of Dr. Vulimiri Ramalingaswami, a visionary Indian scientist and one of ICMR’s most respected former Director Generals.

A few of the students had heard his name before walking in. But by the end, many said they wanted to read more about him.

That alone speaks volumes. Real inspiration doesn’t shout – it lingers.

A Rare Kind of Success

If you asked teachers, many would say they didn’t expect students to be this engaged. One teacher from a remote area remarked, “Usually they’re bored halfway through a museum trip. Here? I had to pull them out of the last room.”

There were no certificates handed out. No selfie booths. Just honest, open science, served up without pretence.

That’s why it worked.

India’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 needs more than budgets and buildings. It needs young people who believe science is for them. Not something elite, not something foreign – but something Indian, relevant, and possible.

That’s what SHINE quietly proved.

“I Think I Want to Be a Scientist”

One line stood out across the event. Students repeated it, in different words, in different languages – but it was the same feeling.

It’s a small detail, yes. But it’s how big things begin.

SHINE may not have changed the world in two days. But it changed a few thousand minds. And sometimes, that’s enough.

PNN News