A discussion by eminent scientists on “Science for Shaping the Future of India’ at the centenary session of the Indian Science Congress (ISC) was to be chaired by none other than Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who is also the general president of the ISC.
Hundreds of scientists and students waited in the cloudy, wet Salt Lake Stadium to see the Prime Minister chair this key session. Dr Singh came and sat for a few minutes where he posed some questions before the scientific community on the resources needed to provide food, nutrition, energy, water and sanitation for the population in 2035.
But before he could get a response from other scientists on the dais including Dr R. Chidambaram, scientific adviser to the Prime Minister, Dr M.S. Swaminathan, Dr John Beddington, chief, scientific adviser, government of UK and Dr T. Ramasami, secretary, department of science and technology or the audience, the Prime Minister got up abruptly explaining he had to leave on a “call of duty” and minister for science Jaipal Reddy was left holding the baton.
Mr Reddy rose to the occasion but that did not ameliorate the disappointment of the common man. The science minister felt that the new science policy unveiled should provide practical solutions to India’s problems.
“Two thirds of people in India are poor and survive on `two a day. Science must address their problems — technologies from the west are meant for the upper class while problems of poverty, starvation and malnutrition continue to haunt us. We need to develop a science with a social conscience,” Mr Reddy said. Dr R.A. Mashlkar agreed with this viewpoint but he questioned the reasons why took place largely in the West. “Indian scientists need to come up with discoveries such as can they make food 100 per cent cheaper,” he said.
Dr K. Kasturirangan, member, Planning Commission, emphasised that with two per cent of India’s GDP being allocated for scientific research, “this will be an unprecedented challenge for the scientific community,” he said. Dr John Bddington speculated on what the planet would look like 20 years from now.
“Some aspects are predetermined, By 2025. another three billion people will have been added and we will need 40 per cent more food.” Mr Biddington also claimed, “We will feel the impact of climate change and greenhouse gases will determine our climate future.”