Basic research to drive future India

In line with growing focus on basic research in the country, the Government of India is taking several steps including the establishment of two new research institutes modelled on the Indian Institute of Science, R A Mashelkar, director general, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, said here on Saturday.

The proposal to set up these institutes "" in Pune and Kolkata "" was at an advanced stage of discussion in the ministry of human resource development, he said.

Speaking to mediapersons soon after delivering the fourth convocation address here at the International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Mashelkar said that the Rs1,000-crore National Science and Engineering Fund proposed by the Government of India is a significant step towards encouraging R&D in the country. "Without basic research, it is difficult for India to push forward," he said.

According to him, sectors like pharma industry have already recognised the need to invest in basic research and their R&D spend in the last few years has increased by 500 times.

"The pharma industry leaders are collectively looking at employing hundreds of young Ph.Ds. In fact, they are complaining about the shortage of suitably skilled Ph.Ds in India," he told the IIIT graduates.

He complimented the Institute for setting a goal to produce 100 Ph.Ds each year down the line as the total number of Ph.Ds in basic research in the entire country is not more than 30.

The crucial mission before the nation now is to transform India from the land of ideas into the land of opportunities, he said.

In his address, chief minister Y S Rajasekhhara Reddy promised full support to the institute for expanding its activities including setting up a sub-centre in Visakhapatnam.