15 NOVEMBER 2005 333 Prime Minister’S Address
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15 NOVEMBER 2005 333 Prime Minister’s Address He app- lauded the Address by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh spirit of entre- at the CSIR Diamond Jubilee Technology preneurship and enterprise Award & Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize that was being rewarded with Presentation function the CSIR Tec- am delighted to Sciences—the seventh hnology Award be here toda as I Indian to be so 2004, and called find myself in recognized since 1863 it a true I the compan of — adds one more cele-bration of scientists. You are the feather in his “Techno- creators of a new distinguished cap. preneurship” India; an India that I also that blended is free from the congratulate the both technical shackles of ignorance. winners of our knowledge and It is an India imbued most coveted science enterprise with with scientific temper priz e —the Shanti the spirit of and a liberal outlook. Swarup Bhatnagar entrepreneurship. I am happy to prize for 2004 and recognize the very 2005. I am particularly The 'Bhatnagar important role our happy that this Laureates (2004) scientists and techno- prize is given to Symposium' was logists have played Dr Manmohan Singh at the CDJT award & young scientists, who also held at and will play in the Bhatnagar prize presentation function are in their prime. Vigyan Bhawan, ongoing task of Becoming a Bhatnagar New Delhi, on Nation building. It is a leadership. His recent laureate gives you a that day, where pleasure to honour the election as a Fellow of the U.S. status that you will un- the Bhatnagar very best of Indian science National Academy of doubtedly enjoy. However, it Prize-winners for and technology today. comes 2004 highlighted Several their work. awards have Covered been conferred in this issue today, but let are the Award me begin Presentation by compli- Function at menting Vigyan Bhawan CSIR for and the the good ‘Bhatnagar work being Laureates done under Symposium'. Dr Mashelkar’s A view of the audience 334 CSIR NEWS Prime Minister’s Address with many responsibilities, cent in 1995-96 to 34.6 per such as the responsibility to cent in 2003-04. This is engage in good science. You comforting. However, it also also have the responsibility to shows that while close to two- serve the best interests of thirds of the students in class mankind and our natural six to eight are satisfied with inheritance. Most the quality of science importantly, you will also teaching, this falls to 40% in have the responsibility to class 11 and 12 ! This shows a improve the quality of life shortage of good science and widen the span of teachers at higher levels. I knowledge in India. My very would like our HRD Ministry best wishes to you on the and State Governments to exciting journey ahead. I hope Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, take note of this and act upon it will be a never-ending releasing the ‘India Science Report’ it. We must lay increased journey of learning and emphasis on improving the creativity. I hope each one of you will role of leadership among quality of teaching in science and dedicate your lives to the cause of developing countries. Science and mathematics at all levels. science, to the welfare of our people technology can be a powerful tool There are other causes for and to the growth and development to achieve this. Therefore, I am concern. The report shows that 20 of our country. happy that these technologies have per cent of science graduates and Last but not the least, I made inroads among larger 14 per cent of Ph.Ds in science do congratulate the team of Media developing countries. I hope this not find gainful employment. What Communication Technologies, who Technology award will inspire is equally worrisome is the finding have won the CSIR Diamond others to develop similarly useful that many people employed in Jubilee Technology Award. I and potentially winning science-centered jobs are applaud this selection for two technologies. insufficiently qualified. There are reasons. Apart from the awards, I am lessons for us here. This Report also First and foremost, these also happy today to release the points to a grave regional imbalance technologies can provide affordable ‘India Science Report’. I in terms of educational institutions solutions for connecting our rural congratulate the Indian National in different states. I am sure the population through internet and Science Academy (INSA) for facts and analysis presented here voice connectivity. I have often taking this important initiative. I will help our policy planners. I trust stressed the need for ‘reaching the also congratulate National Council our Government at the Centre, as unreached’ and ‘connecting of Applied Economic Research well as State Governments, will the unconnected’ in India. I am (NCAER) for their excellent work. take note of these findings and glad that this technology can In fact, I recall when Prof. M.S. evolve policies to remedy these potentially fulfill this goal. The Valiathan discussed this with me, imbalances. telecom revolution and the I had suggested that INSA should development of road, air and rail approach NCAER for such a study. Ladies and gentlemen, linkages have shown that I had a chance to go through the connectivity enhances output and report soon after it was printed. When I spoke here last year, I productivity. Connectivity is The findings of this report are truly had reaffirmed India’s commitment therefore an important economic revealing. to basic science, applied science asset. The Report shows that the and the promotion of excellence. I Secondly, I have always proportion of enrolled students in had committed our government to believed that India must assume a science has gone up from 28.0 per rebuilding the science base in the 15 NOVEMBER 2005 335 Prime Minister’s Address universities. I had also made a patent regime that our government objectives. I believe that at our stage commitment to de-bureaucratise has ushered in. Other initiatives will of development we must learn to our S&T institutions, to restructure follow. “walk on two legs” – fulfilling both our S&T support systems. I had Finally, I had also stated that these objectives. committed our government to we would create exciting career The challenge before Indian create career opportunities to retain opportunities for scientists to retain S&T is, therefore, to generate high talent in the S&T sector. I am happy our talent at home. The recently technology, creating wealth and to say that we have made some announced Ramanujam Fellowship, prestige for India, while also ensuring progress on these counts. J.C. Bose Fellowship and also that this technology improves the lives Firstly, I have always felt that Fellowships for Scientists and of the poor. I compliment CSIR it is a pity that a country of a billion Technologists of Indian Origin Society for some of their recent people has only one Indian Institute (STIO) are part of our effort to fulfill breakthroughs in advanced scientific of Science. To rebuild our this promise. areas that have the potential to meet foundations in basic science, the the basic needs of our people. The government is creating two Ladies and gentlemen, high-tech membrane filter, that can institutes dealing exclusively with remove bacteria as well as viruses science education and research, I realize that in a journey of a from water, has enabled CSIR to one in Pune and another in Kolkata. thousand miles, these are just the install in our villages hand pump based We hope that these institutes will first few small steps. We need to do units that do not require electricity. attain world class standard. much more. We have, therefore, At just 4 paise per liter, this Second, the Ministry of formed a Knowledge Commission technology makes safe drinking water Human Resource Development has under the chairmanship of Sam affordable to all. I salute this effort to already set up a Task Force on Pitroda, and with Dr P. M. combine innovation with compassion. rejuvenation of scientific research Bhargava as deputy chairman. I do Let me, in conclusion, pose a in universities. The Task Force has believe that if the 21st Century is challenge before our S&T community. set up a target of doubling the going to be a ‘Knowledge Century’ I urge you to join a race for reaching number of Ph.Ds coming out of then it is not military power or science and the benefits of science to India within the next 5 to 6 years. economic power but ‘brain power’ every nook and corner of our vast The necessary budgetary support for that will determine our place in it. Motherland. You must set targets that this has been promised. We are expecting the Knowledge are ambitious but do-able to increase Third, to strengthen our Commission to come forward with the quantity and quality of our investment in basic science, as well bold initiatives to create excellence scientific manpower. We must aim to as to improve our processes of in research and teaching, especially improve the quality of text-books and funding, a new National Science & in the frontier areas of mathematics, teaching at the school level and to Engineering Research Foundation science and technology. make science an exciting discipline has been approved. It will receive Those of us who are elected to and an attractive career. When people generous funding and it will operate public office in a democracy face the praise Indian science and technology, in an autonomous way. challenge of finding resources for they invariably imply that some Fourth, we have provided a basic human development and the Indians are doing well.