ANRF Hosts Webinar to Boost Science Communication, Unveils SARAL AI for Outreach

The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) organized an interactive and forward-looking webinar with Public Relations Officers (PROs) and outreach teams from some of India's leading academic and research institutions, including IITs, IISERs, IISc, NITs, and Central Universities. The session, aimed at enhancing science communication and public engagement, featured addresses and presentations from Dr. Shivkumar Kalyanaraman, CEO of ANRF; Prof. Ponnurangam Kumaraguru from IIIT Hyderabad; and officials from the ANRF Media and Communications team.

The webinar formed part of ANRF's broader vision to bridge the gap between India's research ecosystem and the public, using digital innovation, artificial intelligence, and multilingual outreach to make science accessible to every citizen.

Science Communication as a Pillar of Research Dissemination

Opening the session, Dr. Shivkumar Kalyanaraman emphasized that effective communication of science and research is essential for a thriving innovation ecosystem. He described social media and digital platforms as "first-class mechanisms" for technical dissemination and scientific storytelling.

"Social media is no longer a peripheral tool—it is a primary medium for sharing research insights, enabling faster knowledge diffusion, and connecting scientists with the wider society," Dr. Kalyanaraman remarked.

He noted that ANRF envisions a future where every lab, scholar, and research group in India becomes a node of communication, engaging directly with citizens through accessible and creative formats. The goal, he said, is to make scientific research "visible, relatable, and understandable" to the broader public.

Dr. Kalyanaraman encouraged institutions to integrate ANRF's SARAL AI platform into their outreach systems and to establish media and communication clubs within campuses to facilitate the sharing of research breakthroughs in multiple Indian languages.

"Our mission is to make every exciting discovery—whether in a physics lab in IISc or a biology department in a Central University—heard and understood by people across India, in their own language," he said.

SARAL AI: Democratizing Science Through AI and Language

A highlight of the webinar was a detailed presentation by Prof. Ponnurangam Kumaraguru (PK) from IIIT Hyderabad, who demonstrated the innovative potential of SARAL AI, an artificial intelligence tool designed to translate and simplify research outputs for wider audiences.

SARAL AI (Simplified AI for Research and Language) uses natural language processing (NLP) and multimedia generation tools to convert research abstracts and papers into engaging short videos, infographics, and multilingual content.

Through a live demonstration, Prof. Kumaraguru showcased how the tool can:

• Convert dense academic text into narrative videos in multiple Indian languages;

• Generate voiceovers, subtitles, and visualizations for social media dissemination;

• Simplify complex scientific concepts while preserving accuracy; and

• Empower communication teams to produce content without deep technical expertise.

"SARAL AI is designed to bring Indian research to Indian citizens," Prof. Kumaraguru explained. "It combines the power of AI and linguistic diversity to help our researchers communicate with clarity, creativity, and inclusivity."

He invited institutions to collaborate with ANRF and IIIT Hyderabad in scaling the platform, integrating it into institutional PR ecosystems, and creating student-led media initiatives for research storytelling.

Engaging India's Academic Community

More than 150 participants from across the country joined the webinar, representing premier higher education and research institutions. The participants included communication officers, social media teams, and faculty coordinators from IIT Delhi, IISER Pune, NIT Trichy, JNU, and Central University of Kerala, among others.

The ANRF Media and Outreach team, in its presentation, showcased how strategic storytelling can transform the way Indian research reaches the world. The team outlined ANRF's approach to integrating media, technology, and talent to promote "Science for Society."

The presentation covered key ANRF initiatives such as:

• Individual-Centric Research Grants for young innovators;

• Mission Mode Projects focusing on national scientific priorities; and

• Capacity-Building Programs for research leadership and communication.

The team demonstrated how researchers and institutions can prepare "Research Highlights," "Lab Tours," "Scholar Journeys," "Researchers' Diaries," and "Lab-to-Life" stories using diverse formats such as:

• Short-form videos and reels;

• Podcasts and expert conversations;

• Interactive infographics and data storytelling; and

• Popular science articles and cartoon explainers.

"Our objective is to make India's laboratories as visible as its start-ups," an ANRF media official said. "Every discovery, every breakthrough deserves to reach not just peers—but people."

ANRF's Role as a Catalyst for Research Visibility

Dr. Kalyanaraman outlined how ANRF is not just a funding body, but a strategic enabler of research visibility and impact. He noted that the Foundation seeks to create a knowledge ecosystem where scientists, media professionals, and educators work together to promote evidence-based narratives.

The ANRF CEO urged institutions to recognize that public understanding of science is critical to sustaining long-term support for research. He highlighted that the integration of outreach into research workflows can lead to better policy communication, enhanced collaboration, and stronger global partnerships.

"We must transform the research-to-publication pipeline into a research-to-people pipeline," he said. "Science communication is the final and most important step in the innovation lifecycle."

He also emphasized the importance of multilingual science dissemination, reflecting India's linguistic diversity. Using tools like SARAL AI, he said, researchers can make their findings accessible to non-English-speaking audiences—thus building public trust in science and nurturing scientific curiosity among youth.

Towards a Culture of Research Communication

The session concluded with an open Q&A, where PROs and outreach professionals discussed best practices for digital storytelling, media ethics, and institutional coordination. Participants shared insights on managing research communication during national missions, improving visual design for science posts, and aligning communication with institutional branding.

The ANRF team assured participants of continued training workshops and collaborative campaigns to strengthen institutional communication capacities. Plans were also announced to create a national network of research communicators under the ANRF Outreach Programme, linking universities, media professionals, and content creators in science and technology.

"Our vision is to ensure that every citizen, from a school student to a policymaker, can access and appreciate the remarkable science being done in India," Dr. Kalyanaraman concluded.

The Anusandhan National Research Foundation, established under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation Act, 2023, is India's apex body for promoting research and innovation across disciplines. ANRF works to strengthen the research ecosystem, foster public-private partnerships, and enhance societal impact of scientific knowledge through collaboration between academia, industry, and government.

Through initiatives such as SARAL AI, mission-mode projects, and capacity-building programs, ANRF is driving a new era of inclusive, accessible, and people-centric science communication—where every research discovery has the power to inspire and inform the nation.