HYDERABAD, AUGUST 11, 2026: The ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN), Hyderabad, today inaugurated the Science & Health Innovation for Nextgen Explorers (SHINE) Programme 2026, a two-day outreach initiative being held on 11th and 12th August 2026 to introduce school children to the fascinating world of science, nutrition and public health.
The programme was inaugurated by Dr. Bharati Kulkarni, Director, ICMR-NIN, in the presence of scientists, technical staff, teachers and participating students. Around 800 students from nine schools have participated today in the programme at the ICMR-NIN campus. Importantly, nearly half of the participating students are from government schools serving children from underprivileged communities and the outskirts of Hyderabad, allowing them to visit a premier national nutrition research institute and experience science through direct interaction, demonstrations and hands-on activities.
In addition, hundreds of school children are participating in SHINE activities at the Model Rural Health Research Units (MRHRUs) affiliated with ICMR-NIN at Janampet, Mahbubnagar, Telangana and Chandragiri, Andhra Pradesh, thereby extending the programme’s scientific outreach beyond the Institute’s Hyderabad campus and into communities.
SHINE is an ICMR initiative aimed at fostering scientific curiosity, encouraging innovation and creating awareness about health, nutrition and scientific research among school-going children. Through hands-on demonstrations and interactive learning experiences, the programme provides students an opportunity to understand how scientific research addresses real-life challenges affecting health and well-being.
Speaking at the inaugural programme, Dr. Bharati Kulkarni, Director, ICMR-NIN, highlighted the importance of exposing children to science and research at an early age. She emphasised that interactive programmes such as SHINE can help nurture curiosity, scientific thinking and an appreciation for evidence-based approaches to health and nutrition. She also encouraged students to ask questions, explore new ideas and consider science as a means of finding solutions to societal challenges.
The two-day programme features a range of interactive exhibits, demonstrations and hands-on activities designed to make science engaging and accessible to young learners. Key attractions include nutrition games, diet surveys, demonstrations of home-based techniques for detection of food adulteration, work physiology demonstrations, period awareness, anaemia testing, a mobile laboratory and food chemistry analyses.
The programme has received enthusiastic participation from students and teachers. By combining science, health, nutrition and hands-on learning, SHINE 2026 seeks to inspire young minds to develop a questioning attitude, appreciate scientific evidence and recognise the role of research in improving the health and well-being of communities.
Through SHINE, ICMR-NIN continues its commitment to making science accessible to children from diverse social and educational backgrounds, nurturing scientific temper among the next generation, and strengthening the connection between scientific institutions, schools and society.
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