LUCKNOW, Nov. 15 -- Science must move from being purely intellect-driven to demand-driven, with practical applications and direct societal relevance. That was the key message from A Dhanalakshmi, joint secretary, department of science and technology, at the Founder's Day celebration of the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP) on Friday. She said scientific investigations must be judged not only by their intellectual depth but also by their usefulness to society and the nation. "Palaeoscience has the potential to make significant contributions to key national science and technology missions if research is aligned with national needs and real-world problems," said Dhanalakshmi. The Founder's Day marked the 135th birth anniversary of BSIP founder, legendary palaeobotanist Prof Birbal Sahni. Renu Dwivedi, director, Uttar Pradesh State Archaeology Department, complemented the call for application-oriented research by proposing a new bridge between palaeoscience and archaeology. The programme featured the 56th Birbal Sahni Memorial Lecture by Prof Nishith A Dharaiya on integrating science and technology for wildlife conservation, and the 68th Sir AC Seward Memorial Lecture by Prof Bineesha Payattati on biomimicry-inspired circular economy and waste management. Earlier during his welcome address, Prof MG Thakkar, director, BSIP, highlighted the institute's achievements during 2025-26. A special volume of the journal Geophytology, with Anju Saxena as chief editor, was also released on the occasion....