As part of the 75th India’s Independence Celebration, ICAR-NRCB and Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan jointly organized an award ceremony for the student winners of the Science competition on April 6th at ICAR-NRCB. Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan conducted State level online science talent search examination for school students of Tamil Nadu and Puducherryduring the month of November and December 2021. A total number of 10,480 school students actively participated in the competition. Out of which, 55 school students got selected and declared as winners for receiving a cash prize, certificate and memento. While presiding over the prize distributing ceremony, Dr.(Mrs.) S. Uma, Director, ICAR-NRCB congratulated the prize winners and articulated the various Research and Development activities of the National Research Centre for Banana. She made an appeal to the prize winners to think of diverse opportunities available in the field of agriculture. Further, she stressed the significance of science as a carrier opportunity for young students. Inaugural address delivered by Dr. P. Sabanayaham, Tamil Nadu State Secretary, Vijnanabharati. He stressed that the exposure for the school students by way of visiting the research institutes like NRCB, Trichy, offers a long-lasting impression in their minds about the significance and effort taken by the Indian Government for research and development in our country. Prof. J. Jeyakanthan, Head, Dept. of Bioinformatics, Alagappa University, Karaikudi delivered the thematic address. Earlier,Dr. C. Karpagam, Principal Scientist, ICAR-NRCB and local coordinator of the event delivered the welcome address and Dr. P. Boomi, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Bioinformatics, Alagappa University, proposed a formal vote of thanks. Thriu. Gopal Parthasarathy, State Co-coordinator, Vijnanabharati, made all arrangements for the programme. Lab and field visits were coordinated by Dr.P. Ravichamy, STO and Dr. P. Durai, ACTO for the benefit of the students’ community.