The Hindu : More scientists must come back home, says Vajpayee

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 04, 2004

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National

More scientists must come back home, says Vajpayee

By P. Sunderarajan

The Human Resource Development Minister, Murli Manohar Joshi (second from right), releasing a souvenir at the 91st Indian Science Congress that opened in Chandigarh on Saturday. Others in the picture are (from left), the Haryana Governor, Babu Paramanand, the Chief Minister, Om Prakash Chauthala, and the president of the Indian Science Congress Association, Asis Datta.

CHANDIGARH JAN 3 . India will focus on measures to expand regional cooperation in science and technology, besides holding discussions on a free trade regime and other issues at the SAARC summit now on in Islamabad.

This was stated by the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in a speech read out in absentia at the inauguration of the 91st session of the Indian Science Congress here today. Mr. Vajpayee, said, ``I shall discuss with my counterparts how we can expand regional cooperation in diverse areas of science and technology for mutual benefit''.

Mr. Vajpayee was scheduled to inaugurate the meet before emplaning for Islamabad, but he could not do so owing to certain developments on the SAARC front.

In the speech, read out by the Human Resource Development Minister, Murli Manohar Joshi, the Prime Minister, detailing the steps taken to promote science and technology, said that though a significant number of Indian scientists and engineers have started returning home, much more needed to be done to strengthen the trend.

While urging universities, research laboratories and industry to take up enrichment of India's human resources in science and technology as an ``urgent national mission'', he emphasised the need to devise a plan to incentivise world class scientific talent of Indian origin to return in larger numbers and earn laurels by working in the research institutions here.

`Find solutions'

Scientists should work on finding solutions to problems such as scarcity of drinking water and strive towards achieving breakthroughs that would help solar energy affordable and scale up the use of bio-fuels. ``We have to vigorously introduce science and technology inputs in our agriculture, cottage and small industries as well as services in the informal sector. After all, making these economic activities more productive and profitable is the key to unleashing their huge potential for employment generation.''

In this context, the Prime Minister referred to the science and technology policy that he had announced at the last session of the Science Congress. He noted that the document had clearly articulated the various social and other goals of the country. The Congress, which meets every year, should be used to undertake an annual review of the progress made in implementation of the policy and suggest corrective steps.

The Government, he said, would continue to raise the investment in science and technology to reach the goal of two per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2010. While more funding was important, it was also essential that scientists utilised the money properly. ``I am deeply disappointed that in several projects and programmes, even the available funds have not been sanctioned and used in time.''

Mr. Vajpayee called upon scientists to strive for excellence in whatever they did. He urged the science administrators to follow up on the appeal he made at the Science Congress session in Lucknow in 2001 to end ``bureaucratism'' in S&T institutions and overhaul the procedures for clearances and approvals.

``I would like this to be implemented effectively and without any further delay. More than in any other endeavour, time is a precious resource in R&D. We should be in a hurry to achieve results that can effectively address our national priorities and make the world to take notice.''

`Nurture young minds'

He also called for measures to attract bright youngsters to take up a career in science and technology.

``Ultimately, good science is done by good scientists, not by committees or administrators, however essential they may be. Therefore, to fill up the ranks of Indian researchers with great scientists, there is only one way to go. We have to attract, nurture and retain the brightest and most talented minds, especially young and dreaming minds, in large numbers. Therefore, we simply cannot let extraneous factors obstruct the onward march of Indian science.''

The Prime Minister complimented the Science and Technology Ministry for declaring 2004 as the Year of Scientific Awareness and for launching a special `Vigyan Rail' to promote scientific temper among the masses. Many hundreds of such creative programmes must be organised throughout the year to create mass enthusiasm about science and technology and pride in India's achievements in the field, he said.

Dr. Joshi, in his speech, announced the institution of two awards of Rs. 50,000 each for best scientific papers presented at the Science Congress sessions from next year. One award would be given to a male scientist and another to a woman scientist.

Dr. Joshi released a road map for research in the area of plant genome prepared by the National Centre for Plant Genome Research Centre under the Department of Biotechnology.

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