NRL (Neurolscience Research Lab) at PGI, Chandigarh took up the 2nd October appeal of our honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, reinforced by Director, PGI. The last 141 weeks of continuous involvement in Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has been an awakening experience for all the volunteers of the research group. Every Saturday after the lab hours the volunteers grab their brooms, shovels and gloves cleaning the PGI campus littered with paper cups, plates, expired medicines, bidis, cigarettes, pan masala packets, plastic bags, leftover food, much to the surprise of both patient’s relatives and staff. We would like to share our experience in the course of undertaking this national campaign.
As an introduction to NRL and its crew, it will be appropriate to say that each member possesses a unique characteristic, intellectual capabilities, and dedication to his/her country with the hope to make a difference in the intellectual scientific world as well as the world they live in. At the scientific front, Neuroscience Research Lab (NRL) at Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER or PGI), Chandigarh has launched three national initiatives:
- India’s first launch of Genetic testing for poor for diagnosing neurogenetic disorders.
- Implementation of India’s first quality assurance programme in basic research duly recognized by Quality Council of India.
- Indexing of Annals of Neurosciences as the only indigenous Neuroscience Journal in India to have acquired global leadership.
At social front, NRL is trying to join hands with the Prime Minister’s call of “Make in India.” It is an extremely busy facility established by Dr. Akshay Anand, after he resigned from his Scientist position in USA and returned to India in 2003, to serve the nation. It is involved in generating new knowledge for development of modern therapies, diagnostics and imparting training to Ph.D. students with the help of research funds from DST, CSIR, DAE and ICMR, New Delhi.