KEEN INTEREST: Participants looking at the science books exhibited as part of the three-day workshop of the Karnataka Rajya Vijnana Parishat, which began in Bangalore on Monday. — Photo: K. Gopinathan

BANGALORE: More than 30 popular science writers in Kannada are putting their heads together to assess the extent of shortage of literature in science and technology and environment. They will also explore the potential of creating a new body of Kannada science literature on science and communication, teaching of science, and building a scientific temperament.

A three-day workshop organised by the Karnataka Rajya Vijnana Parishat which began here on Monday, would identify the subjects in which there was shortage of literature, and draw up a list of titles and manuscripts, Mahesh Chandra, scientist at the parishat, said.

Experts and writers participating in the exercise include doctors, geologists, communication experts, writers and professionals in various sectors. The parishat, which celebrated its silver jubilee in 2003, is mandated to build a scientific temper, and promote science education in formal and informal sectors, with emphasis on rural areas. It has published over 100 titles on subjects ranging from health, environment, superstitions, scientific thought, and achievements in science and quiz books.

Several titles have gone into more than five reprints.

It has produced six films along with the departments of Environment, and Science and Technology, on health, environment, and popular science. The parishat regularly organises conferences and seminars on science writing, both for children and for the general public, The "Annotated Bibliography of Popular Science Books in Kannada," was brought out in 2005.

The volume lists over 3,448 publications in 40 areas published from 1888 to 1995.

Mr. Mahesh Chandra said the parishat has already been engaged in experiments using scientific terms in the vernacular language, and a dictionary is already available on scientific terminology in English. The demand for popular science reading was high, and the workshop was an initiative to respond to it, he added.

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