PM allures Overseas Indians
for collaborative research
ASHOK B SHARMA
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 3 : Government is likely to announce special incentives to encourage scientists of Indian origin currently working abroad to return to India or to associate themselves with Indian universities and scientific institutions for a short period.
The Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh inaugurating the 97th Indian Science Congress here on Sunday outlined the need to rebuild the country as a knowledge power in the 21st century through a strong capability in science and technology.
He said : “ We must make a special effort to encourage scientists of Indian origin currently working abroad to return to India, including coming to our universities or scientific institutions for a short period. In this way we can, convert the brain drain of the past into a brain gain for the future. This will require special incentives. We need to think creatively on how this can be done so that high quality minds are attracted to teaching and research.”
The prime minister’s pronouncement is significant as it come a few days before the two-day conference of Overseas Indians – Pravasi Bharatiya Divas – scheduled in Delhi from January 8. The newly formed Prime Minister’s Global Advisory Council of Overseas Indians would meet for the first time on January 7.
Building upon the recent comments of the Nobel Laureate of Indian origin, Dr Venkatraman Ramakrishnan on the need for greater autonomy for Indian scientists from red tape and local politics, he said : “I invite you to explore all these issues and engage with us so that we can do what is needed to liberate Indian science from the shackles and deadweight of bureaucratism and in-house favouritism.” While investment of money being only one part which was needed, the change in the mindset of senior faculty and university administration was the hardest thing to do, he said.
The prime minister announced that the National Science and Engineering Research Board will start functioning before March 2010. A National Policy for Data Sharing and Accountability has been formulated. The Protection of Intellectual Property Bill focussed on sharing revenue from intellectual properties with researchers will be taken up for discussion in the parliament soon. He called for a partnership of academia, research and industry and involvement of venture funds.
The government is considering the revision of the value of doctoral and post-doctoral fellowships as well as formation of schemes that would cover all research scholars with some funding support. The government would award one student within the age group 10-15 years from each school in the country under the Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) Scheme
As the government has declared 2010-2020 as the “Decade of Innovations” , Singh urged scientists to find new solutions in many areas for achieving inclusive and sustainable growth like in healthcare, energy security, infrastructure, water, transportation, renewable sources of energy. Describing the outcome of the Copenhagen climate summit as “not satisfactory”, he stressed the need for a low
greenhouse gas emissions and energy efficient development path with a shift to use of renewable sources of energy.
The government has decided to launch Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission for setting up of 20,000 MW of solar generation capacity by 2020. The PAN-IIT programme for solar energy research will drive down the costs of technology options through R&D led innovations. Euro 5 million collaborative research programme on solar energy research with European Union and a similar collaborative programme with UK for pound 5 million has been launched.
The prime minister said that the technology solutions for 25 different water-related challenges being discovered by the Technology Mission for Winning, Augmentation and Renovation of Water (WAR) would be applied by 2011.
On applications of transgenic technology in agriculture, he said that Bt cotton has been well accepted in the country and has made a great difference to production. He said that genetic modification technology was being extended to food crops which raises legitimate questions of safety and these must be given full weightage with appropriate regulatory control based on strictly scientific criteria. He lauded DRDO for developing a new and rapid diagnostic method for detecting the H1N1 virus
Showing posts with label Trivandrum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trivandrum. Show all posts
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Indian Science Congress 2010
Indian Nobel Prize to be
announced today
Reports Vinod Varshney
The India Science Award, popularly knpwn as Indian Nobel Prize carrying an award of Rs 25 Lakh may be announced in Trivandrum tomorrow by the Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh while inaugurating the 97th Indian Science Congress, top official sources indicated.
So far only Professor C.N.R. Rao had been bestowed with this prestigious award since it was instituted six years ago. The authorities are maintaining top secrecy about the name of the awardee for obvious reasons.
The so-called Indian Nobel Prize had been instituted by Atal Behari Vajpayee in one of the Science Congresses in order to give impetus to science research in the country. In order to maintain the dignity and standard of the award very rigorous parameters had been fixed. That is why during the last six years only one Indian scientist could be found worthy of this national honour.
Meanwhile the preparations for the 97th Indian Science Congress reached at its crescendo today with SPG commandoes occupying their positions. Approximately 5000 science delegates would be participating in the Congress, according to the Dr G Madhavan Nair, the General President of the Indian Science Congress.
Two Nobel Laureate scientists from the US John C Mather and Roger Y Tsien have already reached the venue and they will be star attractions in the inauguration ceremony.
The Indian Science Congress (ISC) is the largest national science event in the country. It is a sort of national forum, where an attempt is made to decide the future direction of the science in the country. For this a focal theme is chosen. This year’s theme is “Science & Technology of the 21st Century—National Perspective”.
Traditionally, the Indian Science Congress is inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India. During the Congress, plenary lectures are delivered by eminent scientists and Nobel laureates. These lectures invariably provide broader international perspective and create awareness about the role of science in the society. One of the major attractions is a science exhibition revealing the latest scientific developments and achievements in the country.
The first Indian Science Congress was held from January 15 to 17, 1914 at Calcutta. The Indian Science Association (ISCA) owes its origin to the foresight and initiative of two British Chemists, namely, Professor J.L. Simonsen and Professor P.S. MacMahon.
announced today
Reports Vinod Varshney
The India Science Award, popularly knpwn as Indian Nobel Prize carrying an award of Rs 25 Lakh may be announced in Trivandrum tomorrow by the Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh while inaugurating the 97th Indian Science Congress, top official sources indicated.
So far only Professor C.N.R. Rao had been bestowed with this prestigious award since it was instituted six years ago. The authorities are maintaining top secrecy about the name of the awardee for obvious reasons.
The so-called Indian Nobel Prize had been instituted by Atal Behari Vajpayee in one of the Science Congresses in order to give impetus to science research in the country. In order to maintain the dignity and standard of the award very rigorous parameters had been fixed. That is why during the last six years only one Indian scientist could be found worthy of this national honour.
Meanwhile the preparations for the 97th Indian Science Congress reached at its crescendo today with SPG commandoes occupying their positions. Approximately 5000 science delegates would be participating in the Congress, according to the Dr G Madhavan Nair, the General President of the Indian Science Congress.
Two Nobel Laureate scientists from the US John C Mather and Roger Y Tsien have already reached the venue and they will be star attractions in the inauguration ceremony.
The Indian Science Congress (ISC) is the largest national science event in the country. It is a sort of national forum, where an attempt is made to decide the future direction of the science in the country. For this a focal theme is chosen. This year’s theme is “Science & Technology of the 21st Century—National Perspective”.
Traditionally, the Indian Science Congress is inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India. During the Congress, plenary lectures are delivered by eminent scientists and Nobel laureates. These lectures invariably provide broader international perspective and create awareness about the role of science in the society. One of the major attractions is a science exhibition revealing the latest scientific developments and achievements in the country.
The first Indian Science Congress was held from January 15 to 17, 1914 at Calcutta. The Indian Science Association (ISCA) owes its origin to the foresight and initiative of two British Chemists, namely, Professor J.L. Simonsen and Professor P.S. MacMahon.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Indian Science Congress fails
to attract Nobel Laureates
of Indian Origin
Writes Vinod Varshney
Next year too there will be no Nobel laureate of Indian origin in the Indian Science Congress, scheduled to be held first time in Trivandrum from January 3. There are two living Nobel Laureate scientists of Indian origin—Dr Hargovind Khurana and Dr Venkatraman Ramakrishnan. Khurana got Nobel in 1968 for interpretation of the genetic code and its function in protein synthesis. The other Nobel laureate Venkatraman Ramakrishnan won the Prize this year only "for studies of the structure and function of the ribosome".
Many Indians might remember Venkatraman for the disgust he expressed for the deluge of praise showered over him in Indian media which normally ignores Indian scientists who do significant work in India. But he might have loved to come to India during the Science Congress.
Year after year a question is asked in press conferences as to why Indian Science Congress is not able to attract Nobel Laureates of Indian origin. The organizers had never been able to give a satisfactory answer to this. Many Indians feel that no serious attempt is made to invite them.
Nobel Laureates or not, over a hundred scientists of Indian origin do come every year to take part in the Indian Science Congress which remains a popular draw for young researchers, students, engineers and doctors in India.
This year’s focal theme “Science & Technology of the 21st Century—National (Indian) Perspective” is going to be a crowd-puller as students wants to remain in touch with the relevant future technologies for their career sake. According to the organizers more than 4500 delegates have already got themselves registered.
However, the real attraction this year may be the Space Summit. The interest in space science is already heightened in Indian students after discovery of water on the moon by Indian scientists during the Indian Moon Mission—Chandrayan-I.
American Nobel Laureates to be Star Attraction
Space scientist Ms T. S. Rama Devi of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, the local secretary of the Indian Science Congress Association asserted Monday on telephone that a major highlight of the congress would definitely be the 'Space Summit' which would deliberate on future vision of space technologies and their applications. Top American Space Scientist John C Mather, a Nobel Laureate from NASA will be a mega star here.
John C. Mather had won the Nobel Prize only three years ago for Physics with George F. Smoot of the University of California for his collaborative work on understanding the Big Bang.
Another Nobel Laureate scientist who is slated to participate in the Indian Science Congress, according to Rama Devi, is Roger Y Tsien of the University of California. He won the prize along with two others for “the discovery and development of the green fluorescent protein” only last year. Green Fluorescent Protein has become a tagging tool in bio-science.
Children Science Congress To be Inaugrated by Kalam
Other than the Space Summit another significant event of the science congress will be Children Science Congress which shall be inaugurated on January 4. Former President of India known popularly as the Missile Man A.P.J. Abdul Kalam will inaugurate this. In his characteristic style he is likely to seek a promise from children that they would love the science and nation both.
The management of Children Science Congress has drawn flak in the past for the bureaucratic attitude, especially during the one held two years ago in Chidambaram where many children who came from far off places were not allowed to see Kalam who was then the President of India.
to attract Nobel Laureates
of Indian Origin
Writes Vinod Varshney
Next year too there will be no Nobel laureate of Indian origin in the Indian Science Congress, scheduled to be held first time in Trivandrum from January 3. There are two living Nobel Laureate scientists of Indian origin—Dr Hargovind Khurana and Dr Venkatraman Ramakrishnan. Khurana got Nobel in 1968 for interpretation of the genetic code and its function in protein synthesis. The other Nobel laureate Venkatraman Ramakrishnan won the Prize this year only "for studies of the structure and function of the ribosome".
Many Indians might remember Venkatraman for the disgust he expressed for the deluge of praise showered over him in Indian media which normally ignores Indian scientists who do significant work in India. But he might have loved to come to India during the Science Congress.
Year after year a question is asked in press conferences as to why Indian Science Congress is not able to attract Nobel Laureates of Indian origin. The organizers had never been able to give a satisfactory answer to this. Many Indians feel that no serious attempt is made to invite them.
Nobel Laureates or not, over a hundred scientists of Indian origin do come every year to take part in the Indian Science Congress which remains a popular draw for young researchers, students, engineers and doctors in India.
This year’s focal theme “Science & Technology of the 21st Century—National (Indian) Perspective” is going to be a crowd-puller as students wants to remain in touch with the relevant future technologies for their career sake. According to the organizers more than 4500 delegates have already got themselves registered.
However, the real attraction this year may be the Space Summit. The interest in space science is already heightened in Indian students after discovery of water on the moon by Indian scientists during the Indian Moon Mission—Chandrayan-I.
American Nobel Laureates to be Star Attraction
Space scientist Ms T. S. Rama Devi of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, the local secretary of the Indian Science Congress Association asserted Monday on telephone that a major highlight of the congress would definitely be the 'Space Summit' which would deliberate on future vision of space technologies and their applications. Top American Space Scientist John C Mather, a Nobel Laureate from NASA will be a mega star here.
John C. Mather had won the Nobel Prize only three years ago for Physics with George F. Smoot of the University of California for his collaborative work on understanding the Big Bang.
Another Nobel Laureate scientist who is slated to participate in the Indian Science Congress, according to Rama Devi, is Roger Y Tsien of the University of California. He won the prize along with two others for “the discovery and development of the green fluorescent protein” only last year. Green Fluorescent Protein has become a tagging tool in bio-science.
Children Science Congress To be Inaugrated by Kalam
Other than the Space Summit another significant event of the science congress will be Children Science Congress which shall be inaugurated on January 4. Former President of India known popularly as the Missile Man A.P.J. Abdul Kalam will inaugurate this. In his characteristic style he is likely to seek a promise from children that they would love the science and nation both.
The management of Children Science Congress has drawn flak in the past for the bureaucratic attitude, especially during the one held two years ago in Chidambaram where many children who came from far off places were not allowed to see Kalam who was then the President of India.
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