The Hindu : Make use of opportunities, Kasturirangan tells students

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 01, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Make use of opportunities, Kasturirangan tells students

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI. JAN. 31. Major endeavours such as interlinking of rivers, Golden Quadrilateral, harmonisation of Intellectual Property Rights and exploration of the solar system, would play a major role in transforming India into a developed country by 2020, K. Kasturirangan, Member of Parliament and former chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), said here today.

"Such endeavours will provide a wider range of opportunities and challenges to you," he told students at a convocation address at the Velammal College of Engineering.

Challenges in technological, social, environmental, financial and political spheres had to be met. "We need rapid improvements in productivity, cost competitiveness and capabilities for new product developments. This situation needs effective response through innovations. Technology has to be leveraged to achieve international standards of quality and to minimise time and cost to market."

He referred to the contributions of Indians like Kalpana Chawla in putting the country at the forefront of technological development. "Today, we lead the world in remote sensing technology. We have our own satellites, which can land on the moon and get samples. The ISRO has Edusat, a satellite that will provide the much-needed connectivity between areas of excellence and areas that are not so excellent."

Students, he said, should leave no stone unturned to make use of the opportunities and challenges. "You are the CEOs (Chief Executive Officers) of the country," said Dr. Kasturirangan.

"All pervading influence of science and technology has brought in a new culture that is universal in appeal, open to fresh ideas and rational in approach... This culture is not necessarily in conflict with the essentials of our ancient culture and thought. The fountain head of our ancient wisdom and human development concerns can guide science and technology endeavours to be sensitive to human values, being environment friendly and providing means to uplift the quality of life," he said.

B.S. Raghavan, former policy advisor to the United Nations, highlighted the role of education in national development, the need to constantly upgrade abilities and skills, and keeping pace with developments in every field.

Individual efforts, good governance and clean politics were the key to make India a developed country by 2020, he said. "You must vote," he told students, adding that they should "summon the necessary idealism, commitment and determination, and be in the forefront of efforts to revitalise and purify the organs of democracy."

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