INDIAN SCIENTISTS MAKE UP 36 PER CENT OF NASA'S TECH POOL

By Flynn Remedios - FUTURISTIC MEDIA NETWORK, ALLAHABAD



Mera Bharat Mahan – these three words mean a lot to all of us, but I really understood the meaning of the words when His Excellency, the Governor of Haryana, Dr A R Kidwai while inaugurating the Nobel Laureates Science Conclave at the IIIT-Allahabad informed the august gathering of scientists, Nobel Laureates and students that 36 per cent of all the senior scientists at NASA (the National Aeronautics & Space Administration, USA) are of Indian origin. Technically speaking this means that Indian brains and minds run the US space research program. He also added that about 35 per cent of all programmers at Mircrosoft are of Indian Origin and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – the Mecca of Technology and Research – boasts of 12 senior professors also of Indian origin.


Dr Kidwai in his very inspirational inaugural speech also reminded the august gathering of IT professionals, students and Indian scientists that India or Bharat pioneered the development of Mathematics in the World by introducing the concept of 'zero' and the decimal system. "World over, Indians are considered to be wizards at Mathematics and are generally supposed to be very good with numbers, " said Dr Kidwai adding that India is the hub for testing of drugs and even the tech park where thousands of software functional engineers test programs that run most Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 companies in the World.

Dr Abid Hussain former Indian ambassador to the USA and a Planning Commission member said that we must inculcate a scientific temper in the minds of our youth. "The urge and instinct to tinker, to look inside 'how stuff works' and to experiment with ideas must be ingrained in all of us from a very early age. The exhorted youth not to give up dreaming for 'your dreams are tomorrow's reality'.

The Nobel Laureates' Science Conclave at IIIT-Allahabad, a week-long mega symposium, exhibition and lecture series on science and technology was inaugurated today by His Excellency, the Governor of Haryana, Dr A R Kidwai and Dr Abid Hussain, former ambassador of India to the US and a former Planning Commission member.


Nobel Laureate Prof. Claude Cohen Tannoudji while congratulating Indian students and scientists – while referring to the recent terror attacks in Mumbai and certain political disturbances in the region said that, "Science is the best tool against intolerance. The best answer to fanaticism and short-sightedness is to focus and concentrate on the development of a scientific temper in our young minds." Earlier in the morning, Prof Tannoudji delivered a technical lecture on hi-tech and particle physics.

Dr M D Tiwari, founding director, IIIT-A, recollected his days as a student in 1969 where he had the privilege of attending a Lindau Conference of Nobel Laureates. He mentioned that as a young academician he had dreamt of organizing such a conference in India for Indian students and scientists and this was his dream come true. He stressed on the need to promote science in the country and elaborated on the need of the mainstream media to propagate and disseminate scientific knowledge. "Since the IIIT-A was founded in 1999, the institution was graced by the presence of several international dignitaries and even hosted a vice-chancellor's conference," he added.


For the first time in Asia, the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad (IIIT-A) is hosting the biggest Asian gathering of international Nobel Laureates at the Nobel Laureates Conclave, IIIT, Allahabad from December 15 to 21st, 2008. The Nobel Laureates Conclave is part of the Science Conclave 2008.

A salient feature of this event is the Media Open House with the Nobel Laureates for Indian and international media persons – a program that will give the Indian media an opportunity to interact with the best brains from the international scientific community.


The Science Conclave is a Ministry of Human Resource Development and Department of Science and Technology, Government of India initiative.

The Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad (IIIT-A) was established in 1999, as a centre of excellence in Information Technology and allied areas. The Institute was conferred the "University" status by the Government of India in the year 2000. The Institute hence is empowered to have a perpetual seal and award degrees subsequent to the conduct of its own examinations. IIIT-A is conceived with the ambitious objectives of developing professional expertise and skilled manpower in Information Technology (IT) and related areas.