A huge monetary bonanza awaits the first Nobel laureate from the State. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, during the inaugural ceremony of the Children Science Congress at Sri Padmavati Mahila Viswa Vidyalayam (SPMVV), announced a cash prize of Rs.100 crore for the young scientist (or any other) who would win the prize.
Flanked by Nobel laureate and Director of the Institute for Cosmic Ray Research at the University of Tokyo, Prof. Takaaki Kajita, Mr. Naidu urged the students to pursue science with emphasis on research and innovation. “We expect to see several leading scientists and Nobel prize winners emerge from this lot. As youngsters are more adaptive to technology, we hope that the existing demographic dividend will provide several innovative ideas,” he told the crowd of eager students. In a friendly banter, he appealed to Prof. Kajita to reveal a few tips and tricks for securing a Nobel Prize, for which the latter’s reply was ‘Hard Work’. Mr. Naidu conjoined the ‘Hard Work’ mantra with ‘Enjoying Work and Life’.
Mr. Naidu said each family should have a computer literate, especially the youngsters, who he opined would don the role of a ‘Chief Technological Officer’ guiding their respective family members.
Recalling the origins of several multi-national corporations and e-commerce platforms, Mr. Naidu emphasised on the statement ‘No Idea is Small’ and urged the students to give wings to their imagination. “Small inventions lead to bigger things,” he remarked.
Citing the examples of the State government’s Fiber Grid and Internet of Things (IoT) employed in monitoring of LED street lights, Mr. Naidu highlighted on the emerging technologies, including robotics, facial recognition, drone surveillance and much more.
He also opined that the Children Science Congress would act as a great platform for exchange of ideas and bring to fore the imagination and innovation capabilities of young scientists. He also urged the educationists to launch effective initiatives to kindle scientific temper in the young minds.
Interacting with students from more than 300 schools across the State via a live link during his inaugural speech, Mr. Naidu asserted that soon digital classes would be a reality in Andhra Pradesh. Every educational institution would have Internet facility, which would enable exchange of knowledge and ideas. He also urged schools and colleges to host ‘Innovation Chapters’ and universities — ‘Knowledge Hubs’ — to create centres of excellence, in turn contributing to innovation in science and technology. “On behalf of the State government, we would like to conduct regular competitions [in science and technology] and reward the young achievers,” he added.
Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Y.S. Chowdary cautioned the children not to be addictive to mobile technology and advised the educational institutions to attract the younger generation towards science and technological advancements. State Ministers Ganta Srinivasa Rao (HRD), Bojjala Gopalakrishna Reddy (Environment and Forests), Tirupati MLA M. Suguna, SPMVV Vice Chancellor V. Durga Bhavani and others took part.
