 "I hope that science in India will be supported by industry as in the advanced countries: CNR Rao")
Bharat Ratna awardee and scientist CNR Rao caused quite a sensation recently when he called politicians "idiots" for ignoring the needs of the scientific community. Later, he clarified that what he meant was that politicians were doing idiotic things. "That doesn't mean calling someone an idiot," he said during a television interaction. Rao happens to be only the third scientist after CV Raman and former President APJ Abdul Kalam to be awarded the Bharat Ratna. In an interview with Avantika Bhuyan, he talks about the inadequate funding for scientific projects, the quality of research emerging from the country and the impetus required for women scientists to make a mark.
You have spoken about the inadequate funding for scientific research earlier this month. Could you talk about the areas of scientific research that are being ignored in terms of funding? Also, what are the steps that can be taken by the politicians to rectify this?
India has been encouraging big science in terms of atomic energy, space and so on, for some time. However, real progress in science occurs through small sciences carried out in little laboratories in areas like biology, chemistry, physics and so on. These areas of small science require much more support. [It is believed that India's investment in scientific research and development is a fifth of China's and one-twentieth of US's funding in the same] We have to build many outstanding institutions so that good young people have places to work in the right environment. This is required urgently if India has to compete with our neighbouring nations.
Right now almost all the funding for science is coming from Government, unlike in other countries such as South Korea, Japan and United States. [The 2011 figures show that South Korea invests $55.8 billion, Japan $160.3 billion and US $405.3 billion in research and development]. We have to have contribution from the industry. I do hope that science will be supported by industry as in the advanced countries. [Prime Minister Manmohan Singh too spoke about the need for collaboration between the state and private agencies at the 100th Indian Science Congress. "Government-sponsored research must be supplemented by research in private labs. Academic and research systems must foster innovation and entrepreneurship and therefore link up with those interested in commercial development," he said]
You became the first Indian to reach the H-index of 100 on the basis of your published research work. Could you comment on the quality of research coming out of the country?
My H-index is now 108 and total citations number 58,000. [A chairman of the prime minister's Scientific Advisory Council, Rao is considered quite an authority on solid state and materials chemistry. An author of 45 books and 1500 research papers, he is best known for his work in solid-state and structural chemistry.] I am still working on various important problems such as artificial photosynthesis. My comment on the quality of research in India is that it is marginal. The contribution of India to the top 1 per cent of research in the world is less than 1 per cent. We have to increase this substantially on a war-footing. [In fact, India ranked a low 66 out of 142 economies in the Global Innovation Index 2013, published by Cornell University, INSEAD, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).]
You have also talked about the lack of impetus to women scientists. Could you comment on that?
A number of young women come to work for PhD degrees. I myself have had good women students. Unfortunately, very few of them are able to continue in their profession due to various problems, including built-in prejudices against women. I do think that women scientists require much more encouragement. [According to the article Women and Science in India published by National Institute of Science, Technology and Development studies, the percentage of women scientists is a marginal 18 per cent]
You have spoken about the inadequate funding for scientific research earlier this month. Could you talk about the areas of scientific research that are being ignored in terms of funding? Also, what are the steps that can be taken by the politicians to rectify this?
India has been encouraging big science in terms of atomic energy, space and so on, for some time. However, real progress in science occurs through small sciences carried out in little laboratories in areas like biology, chemistry, physics and so on. These areas of small science require much more support. [It is believed that India's investment in scientific research and development is a fifth of China's and one-twentieth of US's funding in the same] We have to build many outstanding institutions so that good young people have places to work in the right environment. This is required urgently if India has to compete with our neighbouring nations.
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What can industry do to help and aid scientific projects?
Right now almost all the funding for science is coming from Government, unlike in other countries such as South Korea, Japan and United States. [The 2011 figures show that South Korea invests $55.8 billion, Japan $160.3 billion and US $405.3 billion in research and development]. We have to have contribution from the industry. I do hope that science will be supported by industry as in the advanced countries. [Prime Minister Manmohan Singh too spoke about the need for collaboration between the state and private agencies at the 100th Indian Science Congress. "Government-sponsored research must be supplemented by research in private labs. Academic and research systems must foster innovation and entrepreneurship and therefore link up with those interested in commercial development," he said]
You became the first Indian to reach the H-index of 100 on the basis of your published research work. Could you comment on the quality of research coming out of the country?
My H-index is now 108 and total citations number 58,000. [A chairman of the prime minister's Scientific Advisory Council, Rao is considered quite an authority on solid state and materials chemistry. An author of 45 books and 1500 research papers, he is best known for his work in solid-state and structural chemistry.] I am still working on various important problems such as artificial photosynthesis. My comment on the quality of research in India is that it is marginal. The contribution of India to the top 1 per cent of research in the world is less than 1 per cent. We have to increase this substantially on a war-footing. [In fact, India ranked a low 66 out of 142 economies in the Global Innovation Index 2013, published by Cornell University, INSEAD, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).]
You have also talked about the lack of impetus to women scientists. Could you comment on that?
A number of young women come to work for PhD degrees. I myself have had good women students. Unfortunately, very few of them are able to continue in their profession due to various problems, including built-in prejudices against women. I do think that women scientists require much more encouragement. [According to the article Women and Science in India published by National Institute of Science, Technology and Development studies, the percentage of women scientists is a marginal 18 per cent]