The Hindu : New vision on tapping science potential

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 17, 2003

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New vision on tapping science potential

By Our Staff Correspondent

JAIPUR JULY 16. The Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, R.A. Mashelkar, has called for widening of the interface between scientific institutions and society and a better "teaming'' of the modern and traditional concepts in all walks of life.

``This approach has been the hallmark of Indian philosophy and its revival will bring laurels and respect for the country in the comity of nations,'' Dr. Mashelkar said, while delivering the Khailshankar Durlabhji memorial oration on "Nation building through science and technology: The Indian challenge'' here on Tuesday evening.

Articulating a 10-point vision for ensuring social and economic development through proper utilisation of science and technology, Dr. Mashelkar said the development of scientific temper and raising of ambitions by the younger generation would go a long way in yielding positive results of research, creativity and innovations.

``We must realise our potential and shape our own destiny by improving on our previous performance,'' he said. Citing an example, he said about 5-lakh information technology professionals in the country - constituting a meagre 0.05 per cent of the population - had helped the software exports achieve a 10 per cent share in the total Indian exports. The scientist, recognised for his pioneering research in polymer science, fluid mechanics and engineering, said science and technology had made a great contribution to the country's progress in the post-Independence period, as was evident in the green and white revolutions and the strides in space technology.

The Khailshankar Durlabhji memorial oration is organised here every year by the trust named after the noted Rajasthani philanthropist. Prominent among those who have delivered lectures in the series earlier are A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Jayant V. Narlikar, R.K. Laxman, Abid Hussain and K. Kasturirangan.

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