The Hindu Business Line : `India, EU must pass on benefits of science to the grassroots'

CHALLENGES AHEAD: The President, Mr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (right), with the Minister for Science and Technology, Mr Kapil Sibal, and the Minister for Education and Research, German EU Presidency, Dr Annette Schavan, at an interactive meet on motivation of youth in science on the occasion of India-European Union Ministerial Science Conference, in the Capital on Thursday. — Ramesh Sharma

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New Delhi Feb. 8 The President, Mr A.P.J.Abdul Kalam, has urged Indian and the European Union to bring the benefits of science to the grassroots level. He was addressing the India-European Union (EU) Ministerial Science Conference, organised by the Department of Science & Technology (DST) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) under Global Innovation and Technology Alliance (GITA).

Stating that science was the foundation for societal transformation, the President called on the EU and India to identify 25 projects that would bring the benefit of scientific research to the grassroots. "The challenges before the scientific community are: clean water, energy independence, good habitation, pollution-free atmosphere and health for all, leading to a peaceful, happy and prosperous planet," said Mr Kalam, pointing out that nearly 220 million people in India, in both rural and urban areas, needed improvement in their quality of life.

The President also called on universities and educational systems to create two cadres of personnel, a global cadre of skilled youth with specific knowledge and another global cadre of youth with higher education to empower the manufacturing and services sector of India.

Mr Kapil Sibal, Minister of Science and Technology & Earth Sciences, called on industry and institutes of the EU to join the international tech alliance through GITA.

"It is our challenge to identify technologies and adapt the technology to the Indian context. Since there is very less flow of information on India-EU collaboration in science and technology, there is a requirement for a digital directory containing relevant data," said Mr Sibal.

The interactive meet was attended by Nobel laureates, students and research scholars.