The Hindu : Karnataka News : Industry must gear up to meet challenges: Nair

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Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008
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Industry must gear up to meet challenges: Nair

Special Correspondent

Inspiring: Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation G. Madhavan Nair delivering the 26th convocation address of Gulbarga University, in Gulbarga on Monday.

GULBARGA: Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) G. Madhavan Nair has said there is need to revisit our policies if India has to emerge as a technological leader.

Delivering the 26th convocation address of Gulbarga University here, Dr. Nair said that rapid advances in science, engineering and technology promised to alleviate some of the problems confronting the country. The advent of nanosciences, gene therapy and super conductivity is expected to bring in revolutionary changes in the way of human life.

Dr. Nair started his speech in Kannada and after reading the first three paras, switched over to English. The ISRO chairman said globalisation made newer products and materials accessible to the common man at lower prices with assured quality, and the Indian industry should equip itself with latest technology and adopt modern management practices to achieve the capability and competence to meet the challenges. \

Turning to the young graduates, Dr. Nair said the country was on the threshold of a major economic revolution, and it was witnessing all-round growthBut rising population, illiteracy and unemployment were placing a tremendous stress on the country.

Dr. Nair said the successful testing of the highly complex cryogenic upper stage by ISRO, and mastering this critical technology had catapulted India into the big league of space players.

He said that advances made in space technology in the country showed the capability of Indians to absorb and adopt latest technologies and apply them for national development.

Vice-Chancellor of the university B.G. Mulimani conducted the convocation proceedings in the absence of Governor and Chancellor Rameshwar Thakur. University Grants Commission chairman Sukhadeo Thorat, who was selected along with five other personalities to receive an honorary doctorate at the convocation, was another notable absentee.

Although no official reason was given for the absence of the Governor and Dr. Thorat, Prof. Mulimani later told The Hindu that Dr. Thorat could not make it to the convocation due to an important meeting of the UGC in New Delhi to finalise the budget proposals.

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