MYSURU: The five-day 103rd Indian Science Congress that saw scientists and science enthusiasts from across the world discussing and deliberating on various issues, concluded on a grand note on Thursday.
The event which saw intense discussions on scores of subjects from hygiene (Swachh Bharat) to space technology, medical sciences to defence technology, veterinary sciences to biotechnology and nanotechnology among others is likely to submit its recommendations to the government in a couple of days.
The highlight was also on how to improve skillsets to support Make in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet project.
Hundreds of scientists and academicians discussed various issues and suggested recommendations in the plenary sessions that ran simultaneously in over 10 venues.
While the talks by six Nobel Laureates generated a great amount of curiosity and saw the halls packed, mathematician Manjul Bhargav who spoke about the great mathematician Ramanujan at the renovated amphitheatre saw fans swarming him for autographs.
There were thousands of academicians and students from across the country who actively participated in the plenary sessions cutting across subjects and departments. Many with programme schedule in their hands were seen searching for venues to hear from their favourite speakers.
A near embarrassing moment was avoided by cancelling a session on ‘Lord Shiva’ at the last moment. The exhibition saw over a lakh people with students of over 50 schools visiting it.
The University of Mysore which is hosting the event for the second time, managed to pull off the grand event without any major hiccups.
At the valedictory event held at the historical Crawford Hall, the guests, including former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, Governor Vajubhai Vala, Higher Education Minister T B Jayachandra and Indian Science Congress president Ashok Kumar Saxena credited the success to UoM Vice-chancellor K S Rangappa.
Speaking on the occasion, Deve Gowda regretted that his call for scientists to address problems in agriculture, primary health, education etc during the Indian Science Congress when he was Prime Minister in 1997, is yet to be realised. He called upon them to serve the humanity.
Governor Vajubhai Vala said there is no dearth of intelligence in India but there is dearth of opportunities and if Indians get opportunities then they can be second to none. Stating that there is nothing impossible, he asked scientists to convert the impossible possible.
Young Scientist Awardees
Agriculture and Forestry Sciences: Saurav Saha, ICAR-Research Complex for NEH Region, Mizoram
Animal, Veterinary and Fisheries Sciences: Bhaskar Ganguly, GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Uttarakhand.
Anthropological and
Behavioural Sciences: Surjeet Pratap, Benaras Hindu University, Varanasi.
Chemical Sciences: Arijit Sengupta- BARC, Trombay
Earth System Sciences: Amiya K Samal, BHU, Varanasi.
Engineering Sciences:
Emmanuel Nehemiah J, Christ College of Engineering and Technology, Puducherry.
Environmental Sciences: Gaurab Sircar, Bose
Institute, Kolkata.
Material Sciences: Gaurav Vats, IIT-Bombay.
Mathematical Sciences:
Abhik Ghosh, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata.
New Biology: Sonia Kapoor, IIT Bombay.
Plant Sciences: Maria Vera Jesus De Costa, Goa University, Goa.