The third edition of the All Science and Technology (S&T) Clusters Meet 2025 was officially inaugurated at the Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ) in Visakhapatnam. The gathering brought together leaders and innovators from all eight national science and technology clusters: AMTZ Vizag (host cluster), Bengaluru Science and Technology Cluster (BeST), Bhubaneswar City Knowledge & Innovation Cluster (BCKIC), Delhi Research Implementation & Innovation Cluster (DRIIV), Jodhpur City Knowledge & Innovation Cluster (JCKIC), PI RAHI (Chandigarh/North India Cluster), Pune Knowledge Cluster (PKC), and Research and Innovation Circle of Hyderabad (RICH).
Coordinated under the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India, the event marked a major step in promoting regional cooperation, innovation exchange, and industry partnership within India’s science, technology, and innovation (STI) ecosystem. Hosted by AMTZ, this year’s event spotlighted key focus areas including e-waste management, advanced materials, Industry 4.0, and automation.
A series of significant announcements and launches were made during the event, including the official unveiling of the S&T Clusters logo by Principal Scientific Adviser Prof Ajay Kumar Sood and Scientific Secretary Dr Parvinder Maini. Also launched was the official webpage for the upcoming International S&T Clusters Conference, set for December 4–5, 2025.
One of the event’s major highlights was the inauguration of a state-of-the-art E-Waste Management Center at AMTZ Vizag. Developed with support from the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, the facility was completed in a record 234 days. It stands as Andhra Pradesh’s first and only dedicated scientific e-waste management facility and serves as the southern regional hub for the responsible recycling of electronic and biomedical waste.
Inaugurated by Prof Ajay Kumar Sood, the E-Waste Management Center was launched in the presence of Dr Parvinder Maini, AMTZ MD & Founder CEO Dr Jitendra Sharma, and GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg. The center is designed to ensure safe and efficient processing of discarded electronics and medical devices. It also plays a crucial role in resource recovery, enabling the extraction of valuable metals like gold, silver, copper, aluminum, and rare earth elements for reintegration into industrial supply chains—significantly reducing reliance on virgin raw materials.
The launch of this facility and the broader S&T Clusters Meet reinforce India’s commitment to sustainability, innovation, and regional collaboration. AMTZ continues to serve as a hub for cutting-edge technological advancement and is now also leading the way in environmental responsibility through scientific waste management and material recovery.
