Chavan urges CSIR to Create Wider Science Base

New Delhi: The Minister of State (Independent charge) for Science and Technology, Shri Prithviraj Chavan has urged the Council of Science & Industrial Research to create a wider science base, modernize science laboratories, create challenging research projects and ambience and make scientists more accountable as CSIR moves ahead in its 69th year of establishment. The Minister was speaking today in New Delhi at the 68th Foundation Day of CSIR. He congratulated CSIR for being the harbinger of major scientific and technological achievements in the country since its establishment in 1942. Shri Chavan hoped that CSIR shall continue to provide scientific leadership to the country in years to come as well.
Recounting some of the major initiatives taken by CSIR, the Minister mentioned that the institution has put in an increased focus on ‘energy’, ‘water’ and ‘food sector’ research. Other notable new initiatives include – “Post-graduate Research Programme in Engineering (PGRPE)”; Cabinet’s approval for CSIR Academy for Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR); setting up of CSIR–Tech and wide ranging global recognition for the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library. Shri Chavan also noted that CSIR has initiated R&D work in Network mode which has helped bring scientists from diverse disciplines and dispersed locations together, thus creating a synergy. CSIR’s recent “network clusters”, recognizing very talented scientists and bringing them at par with the Directors by inducting them at ‘Outstanding’ and ‘Distinguished’ scientists positions; mechanisms to reach the masses through CSIR-NGOs linkages; CSIR-800 programmes; participating in national solar, energy and water missions to provide cutting edge scientific inputs and transfer of some path breaking high value technologies like sulphur of potash, carbon fibre composite, the anti TB drug risorine, semi-continuous bio-diesel plant, co-relating ayurveda and genomic thereby giving rise to a new scientific area of study – the ayurgenomics are achievements that CSIR can rightly be proud of.
The Minister said “India is on a growth trajectory, its GDP is envy to many developing nations. Our research funding is almost one percent of our GDP and poised to go up”. For CSIR the defining moment is on the anvil and “CSIR now must transit from XI Plan to XII Plan with never before ambition, agenda and goals – truly global and never set before”, the Minister urged.
DG, CSIR in his welcome address pointed out that people and country-centric thrust to science, technology and societal pursuits remain the cornerstone of CSIR’s mission. He said the current scenario has inspired CSIR to dream big towards : Science & Engineering leadership; Innovative technology solutions; End-to-end technologies in niche areas; Open innovation for inclusive growth; Nurturing talent in trans-disciplinary areas and Enabling scientific entrepreneurship. CSIR’s slogan for the next two decades will be “Leadership in Science & Technology for the Masses and Happiness for a Billion People”, he added.
The annual Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, instituted in 1957 for conspicuously important and outstanding contributions in seven disciplines were also announced today. For the year 2010, nine scientists have been selected. For Biological Sciences, Dr Sanjeev Galande from National Centre for Cell Science, Pune and Dr Shubha Tole from Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai were chosen. In the field of Chemical Sciences, Dr Swapan K Pati from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore and Dr Sandeep Verma, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur was selected. Dr G K Ananthasuresh, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and Dr Sanghamitra Bandyopadhyay, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata have been selected in Engineering Sciences category. Dr Mitali Mukerji, Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology (CSIR), Delhi won the award for Medical Sciences. For Physical Sciences, Dr Umesh Vasudeo Waghmare, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore and Dr Kalobaran Maiti, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai will receive the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar 2010 Award. This year no Award is being given in the area of Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean & Planetary Sciences and Mathematical Sciences. The awards carry a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh, a citation and a plaque and to be given by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India.
Among other awards announced today were the CSIR Award for S & T Innovations for Rural Development – 2009 for Indian Oil Corporation R &D Centre, Faridabad for developing environment friendly, non-toxic, biodegradable ‘Servo Agro spray Oil’ for pest control in diverse agricultural crops. Also CSIR Young Scientist Awards 2010 were announced for seven scientists below the age of 35 years. The CSIR Technology Awards and the CSIR Diamond Jubilee Invention Award for School children 2009 was also announced. The Minister Shri Prithviraj Chavan hoped that the recognition of awards will act as a catalyst in their future scientific endeavours.
Prof. Raghavendra Gadagkar from the Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of science, Bangalore delivered this year’s CSIR Foundation Day lecture titled ‘War and Peace – Conflict and cooperation in an Insect Society’. His talk presented a whole new realm of knowledge and the science governing animal social behaviour.
It’s a happy coincidence that 26th September also happens to be the birthday of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, the President of CSIR.