Context: 

Recently, the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) launched its first two initiatives to boost India's research ecosystem, namely the Prime Minister Early Career Research Grant (PMECRG) and the Mission for Advancement in High-Impact Areas -Electric Vehicle (MAHA- EV) Mission.

More on the News

• The PMECRG invites early career researchers to join the country’s transformative journey and contribute to the advancement of India’s scientific excellence and innovation.
• The MAHA- EV Mission is designed to build a robust research and development ecosystem for Electric Vehicle (EV) components, particularly Battery Cells, Power Electronics, Machines, and Drives (PEMD) and Charging Infrastructure. 
• With the launch of two key initiatives, ANRF aims to bridge the gap between academic research and industrial application, driving transformative progress in this area.

About Prime Minister Early Career Research Grant (PMECRG)

• The Prime Minister Early Career Research Grant (PMECRG) is designed to empower young researchers with a flexible budget to facilitate ease of research. 
• It will foster high-quality innovative research, enable researchers to expand knowledge boundaries, drive technological progress and contribute to positioning India as a Global leader in S&T. 
• PMECRG reflects ANRF’s commitment to nurturing young researchers and by investing in early career researchers, it will help seed, grow, and foster a robust culture of research and innovation across India.

About Mission for Advancement in High-Impact Areas -Electric Vehicle (MAHA-EV)

• The MAHA-EV Mission is focused on the development of critical technologies for electric vehicles (EVs) to reduce dependence on imports, promote domestic innovation, and position India as a global leader in the EV sector.  
• The MAHA- EV Mission is part of ANRF’s Advancement in High-Impact Areas (MAHA) program designed to catalyze multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary, and multi-investigator collaboration to tackle critical scientific challenges. 

The R&D direction for technology development in EV-Mission will focus on three Technology Verticals: 

• Tropical EV Batteries and Battery Cells, 
• Power Electronics, Machines, and Drives (PEMD), and 
• Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Infrastructure.

The mission seeks to position India as a competitive hub for EV components, driving global competitiveness and innovation. 

It aligns with the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision, accelerating technological progress and fostering a greener future. 

Significance:

• By spearheading the EV-Mission, ANRF aims to create a dynamic R&D ecosystem that fosters innovation and collaboration between academia, research, and industry.
• This mission will accelerate India’s path to a sustainable, tech-driven future, aligning with the government's goal of achieving Viksit Bharat by 2047.