Science for Shaping the Future of India

The subject area of this Congress, Science for Shaping the Future of India, reflects the dream of e very genesis of Indian scientists. Faster growth over the next few decades, much sustainable development based on food and energy security, and socio-economic inclusion made possible by rapid growth of basic friendly services, such as education and health, are all crucial for delineate Indias succeeding(a). Science, technology and mental home all incur an important fiber to play in achieving these objectives.Science and technology development have been central to the phenomenal material advancement and efficiency in the use of resources seen in the hold hundred years. The pace of change has simply accelerated in the last few decades, as globalization and smart technology have deepen peoples access to knowledge and their ability to leverage it finished collaboration. India has benefited from this epochal transformation by embracing these trends. Since technological chang es typically ascend from effected structures, they may at judgment of convictions re-inforce them and inhibit the advancement of legality and equality.As India seeks a carry on growth of its national income, we must endeavour to rule the tools of intuition to cater to the needs of the underprivileged and to bridge the gap in the midst of the haves and the have-nots. Nearly 65 percent of our people live in rude areas. The increase in their living standards depends greatly on the growth of outlandish production and productiveness. The Twelfth Five Year figure assumes that a sustained growth of our agriculture at the rate of 4 percent per annum is subjective for the achievement of food security for our country.This growth is constrained by shortages of piddle and also of land. We need new breakthrough and throughs in water-saving technologies of cultivation, enhancement of land productivity and development of climate-resilient varieties. This transformation of agriculture must be the top precession concern of our public policies, including cognizance and technology policies. In keeping with the theme of this Congress, the question naturally arises as to what we should do to build our future through science? I would like to share a few ideas.First, we must, as a society, enhance the spread of what Jawaharlal Nehru used to describe as the scientific temper. Our younger generations must adopt a science-based value-system in auberge to benefit from what science crumb offer and to devise up for woolly-headed time. Complex issues, be they genetically modified food or thermonu fire up energy or exploration of outer space, cannot be settled by faith, emotion and fear but by structured debate, analysis and enlightenment. A scientific approach and understanding of these issues are t herefore as springy as our core scientific capabilities.For this, we must invest in popularizing science, not only in our schools and colleges as we are doing through the INSPIRE program but also in our homes, workplaces and communities through all available discourse methods, like the high-speed optical fibre subject area Knowledge Network. Eventually, science must help in establishing an inclusive society that seeks to solve study amicable problems through the application of science. Second, our scholarship and query must be informed by a keen awareness of our basic social and economic realities.Given the limited resources that we, as a nation, are able to ordinate to scientific research, it is imperative that we give priority to meeting those challenges which are original to the transformation of our economy. I have already referred to the need to transform Indias agriculture. But there are another(prenominal) equally valid concerns as well which require priority attention. The quest for energy security, sanitation, provision of safety device drinking water, labour intensive manufactures and universal healthcare at affordable cost are other areas of high priority concern.Our effort should be to carve out a niche for Indias leadership in some of these areas. Indian industry must play an active interpreter in this mathematical operation through in-house research centres and, more importantly, through intensify academia-industry interaction. Third, a holistic organizational approach is essential. there was a time when science took a lonely road, driven by individual go-ahead rather than incarnate effort. This is sub-optimal in the fundament and knowledge-intensive world that is empowering the growth process today.We need cross-fertilization of disciplines and synergy among s addholders. Government-sponsored research must be supplemented by research in cloak-and-dagger labs. Academic and research systems must bring up innovation and entrepreneurship and therefore link up with those interested in commercial development. In the last few years, we have taken some form _or_ system of government measures in this direction. We have encouraged sharing of and access to Government-owned data for research.We have also created new mechanisms like Innovation Complexes, Technology Business incubator and Innovation Universities in an effort to bring near convergence of interests among the assorted players in science. Fourth, outside(a) collaboration is vital for increasingly resource-intensive modern science to progress. Economic liberalization and economic growth over the last several(prenominal) years have made it possible for our scientists to collaborate meaningfully and confidently in the international arena.Let me cite only two outstanding examples. There was significant Indian collaboration with the European Centre for Nuclear query on the Large Hadron Collider, which led to the discovery of what is believed to be the elusive Higgs boson. The other example is our work with a select group of countries on the world(prenominal) Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor. We must partner not only w ith established leaders in science and technology, but also with emerging innovation powerhouses, many of them in our region.We must also offer our expertise to our neighbours for collective prosperity and progress. Finally, the quality of our scientific fundaments will depend upon the quality of the students we can attract into science, the freedom we give them in pursuing scientific research and the human resource policies we follow in selecting leaders. We must select only the best and we must expand our search to the many Indian scientists abroad who may wish to return to India at least for some years.The ascendent of even the simplest of problems related to humanitys pressing needs ofttimes requires first-rate fundamental research. During the last eight years, we have tried to accept this gap by expanding the infrastructure of our scientific research and innovation. We have established v new Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research, eight new Indian Institutes of Technology, sixteen new Central Universities, ten new National Institutes of Technology, six new R&D institutions in the business line of ergonomics and five institutions in other branches.It is my hope that all this will significantly raise the quality of scientific research in our country. Given that science-led innovation is the key to development, the National Innovation Council has also brought the domain of innovation to the foreground, back up translation of knowledge into usable solutions. The Science, Technology and Innovation Policy 2013 released here today aspires to position India among the top five global scientific powers by the year 2020. It is an ambitious goal.It aims to produce and nurture talent in science, to bring in research in our universities, to develop young leaders in the field of science, to reward mathematical process, to create a policy environment for greater private sector participation in research and innovation and to forge international all iances and collaborations to meet the national agenda. The Twelfth Five Year Plan, which was approved by the NDC a few days ago, outlines a number of initiatives which will make this possible.An important step in this direction in the Eleventh Plan was the establishment of the National Science and Engineering Research Board as an autonomous funding body. As pointed out in the Twelfth Plan, this institution proposes to invest in researches of proven track record and establish about 200 to 250 centres based on a grant model with performance reward linkages. I would like to conclude by recalling Gurudev Rabindranath Tagores infinite lines in which he prayed for a future India where, among other things, a clear stream of reason would prevail.I am confident that, in the next five days, this confluence of leading lights of science from home and abroad will drop off up useful ideas on how science will shape the future of India. As the Indian Science Congress crosses another milestone, le t us pledge to keep alive the passion of its architects for truth that is eternal and beautiful and their dream to lead India to greater heights of knowledge. Let me also take this occasion to wish all those gathered here a very Happy New Year.