The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Innovation `key to India's transformation'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 30, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Innovation `key to India's transformation'

Special Correspondent

High-tech companies are coming to find innovators, says Sivathanu Pillai "The technology innovation rate has steeply increased with the emergence of Information Communication Technology, Biotechnology and space exploration."

CHENNAI: Development and innovative use of multiple technologies along with a transparent management structure will transform India into a developed nation, A. Sivathanu Pillai, Chief Controller, Research and Development, Defence Research and Development Organisation, said on Wednesday.

Over the last five years, more than a 100 Information Technology and science-based foreign firms have located their research and development base in India. High-tech companies are coming to find innovators whose ideas will take the world by storm, Dr. Pillai said. In this context, most people will have access to technology and the distinguishing feature will be the ability of people to make use of their imagination to make the best use of the technologies. Innovation will take India into the realm of a developed nation.

Dr. Pillai was delivering the convocation address at the 15th Convocation of the Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University on `Technology trends in Healthcare.'

The technology innovation rate has steeply increased with the emergence of Information Communication Technology, Biotechnology and space exploration. "This spectacular innovation rate is going to accelerate further in the years to come and we will see unimaginable progress in life," he said.

He also elaborated on the spin-offs from defence technologies in India, with specific reference to the health care system. Simple cost-effective diagnostic kits had been developed for typhoid, malaria, anthrax and plague and Floor Reaction Orthosis (calipers of light-weight missile material) for persons affected by polio. The development of satellite technology and information communication technology had facilitated the growth of telemedicine, making treatment available to patients in remote areas.

India must adopt a unified approach to the planning of healthcare delivery. Besides traditional medical education and research programmes, emphasis must be on polyclinic-level training programmes in clinical technologies and indigenisation of equipment to make them affordable. It is also imperative to reduce the cost of drugs through scientifically innovative techniques and by developing alternative forms through new, validated herbal formulations, Dr. Pillai said.

Earlier, Dr. Pillai received the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science from the Chancellor of the varsity and Governor Surjit Singh Barnala. Eminent psychiatrist Sarada Menon was also conferred an honorary doctorate. Vice-Chancellor, C.V. Bhirmanandham, presented the annual report. A total of 9,445 candidates, who passed out this year, received degrees.

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