Lucknow: Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, has long been admired for its Nawabi elegance, historic architecture and cultural refinement. Yet, behind this celebrated heritage lies a quieter but equally powerful transformation. Over the last several decades, Lucknow has evolved into one of northern India’s most important centres of scientific research and technological innovation. Anchored by a dense network of nationally significant institutions, the city today plays a crucial role in strengthening India’s scientific self-reliance and knowledge economy.
At the forefront of this ecosystem stands the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), established in 1951 as one of the earliest laboratories of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). CDRI has been instrumental in shaping India’s pharmaceutical research landscape. From developing the country’s first indigenous anti-cancer drug in the 1990s to creating the world’s first non-steroidal oral contraceptive, Centchroman (marketed as Saheli), the institute has consistently combined public health priorities with cutting-edge science. During the COVID-19 pandemic, CDRI emerged as a national asset, conducting molecule screening, drug repurposing and antiviral studies. Its new GMP-compliant pilot plant and ongoing research on anti-diabetic and neuroprotective molecules have, in recent years, attracted strong collaborations with global pharmaceutical companies.
Just across the road lies another pillar of Lucknow’s scientific legacy—the CSIR–National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI). Known to the public for its expansive botanical gardens, NBRI’s deeper impact lies in applied plant sciences and agri-biotechnology. The institute has developed high-yielding and medicinal plant varieties, including Ashwagandha strains and the famed Lucknow-49 mango. Its work on biofortified crops, soil-health microbial consortia and floriculture has directly benefited farmers across Uttar Pradesh and eastern India. Particularly notable is NBRI’s Aroma Mission, which has revitalised rural economies by promoting essential-oil crops and setting up distillation units, linking scientific research directly with livelihoods.
Environmental and public health challenges are addressed by the Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR), another CSIR constituent located in the city. IITR’s research on air pollution, pesticide exposure and industrial chemicals has shaped environmental policy in the Gangetic belt. Its advanced facilities for gas chromatography, mass spectrometry and zebrafish-based toxicology are increasingly focused on nanotoxicology—an area critical to ensuring the safety of new materials as India expands its manufacturing and infrastructure sectors.
Lucknow’s contribution to medical science is equally significant. The city hosts key institutions under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and boasts world-class tertiary care and research through the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) and the Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences. SGPGIMS has earned national recognition for excellence in liver transplantation, nephrology and endocrine surgery. Its research divisions in molecular medicine and stem-cell biology are addressing diseases such as diabetes, thalassemia and genetic disorders that disproportionately affect the Indo-Gangetic population, linking regional health challenges with global scientific inquiry.
Adding a unique dimension to Lucknow’s research profile is the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP)—the only institution of its kind in South Asia. Named after the pioneer of Indian palaeobotany, BSIP conducts critical research on fossil plants, climate change and Himalayan glaciation. Its recent discoveries, including ancient mangrove fossils from Rajasthan and contributions to the National Mission on Himalayan Glaciology, provide invaluable insights into India’s past climate and future environmental risks.
Biotechnology has been a particular success story for the city. The CSIR–Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) has transformed districts like Barabanki and Rampur into the global hub of natural menthol production, supplying nearly 80 per cent of the world’s demand. CIMAP’s innovations in mint and artemisinin-rich Artemisia annua have strengthened India’s self-reliance in essential oils and anti-malarial drugs. The Lucknow Biotech Park and university-based biotechnology centres further support start-ups working on bio-pesticides, diagnostics and herbal products.
Technical and digital capabilities are reinforced by institutions such as IIIT-Lucknow and Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University (AKTU), which feed skilled talent into emerging research-driven industries. Incubation centres linked to NBRI and the Biotech Park have helped translate laboratory research into market-ready products.
Collectively, Lucknow’s scientific institutions employ over 5,000 scientists and scholars, produce more than 1,500 high-impact research papers annually and hold hundreds of patents licensed to Indian industry. Their coordinated response during the COVID-19 crisis—from drug discovery and herbal formulations to clinical care—demonstrated the city’s strategic importance to national resilience.
Challenges remain, including funding limitations, technology-transfer bottlenecks and talent migration. However, proposed initiatives such as the Science City project and a MedTech–Pharma cluster promise new momentum.
Lucknow’s laboratories and research campuses are not remnants of a bygone era. They are dynamic engines of innovation, quietly but decisively shaping India’s scientific future. In an age of Atmanirbharta, Lucknow stands not only as a City of Nawabs, but unmistakably as a City of Science.
