Univs need to challenge frontiers of knowledge: DRDO chief

Though India has become one of the strongest in the world in terms of scientific manpower, its universities and institutions should be able to challenge the frontiers of knowledge while creating an environment supportive of innovation, Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister and DRDO chief Avinash Chander said today.
"We have come a long way since Independence, from mere buyers of technology to those who have made science and technology an important contributor for national development and societal transformation. It is important for India to put its act together to become a continuous innovator and creator of science and technology intensive products," Chander said.

Despite strong scientific and technical manpower base, India was still far behind in creation of intangible assets and ownership of patents, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said.
"The time has come to reverse this trend which is possible only through dedicated programmes for research in the frontier areas of technology, engineering and science," he said, commenting that country's higher academic institutions lacked orientation towards research. As a result their standing amongst top global institutions was not very high.
"Our institutions must be able to challenge the frontiers of knowledge. Our universities have to create an environment supportive of innovation," the DRDO chief said, addressing the 3rd convocation of Siksha O Anusandhan (SOA) University here.

Expressing happiness for being in Odisha which has been the theatre of India's missile launch campaigns for several decades, the DRDO chief said whatever research was conducted anywhere in the country with respect to missile development, ultimately had to be taken to Chandipur or the Wheeler's Island for its final testing.

Many of the Launch Complexes and other Range Stations were located in close proximity to Bhubaneswar which played a vital role in strengthening national deterrence, he said.
"As DRDO chief, I can say that we could pool and augment the resources effectively and have been able to network the knowledge base available in universities and other academic institutions through formal mechanism of interaction which bolstered our organisational growth," he said.

Stating teaching and research were the two strong pillars of a university, he said, "The quality of our research has to be comparable with the best in the world. Our researchers have to cooperate with one another to find solutions to critical problems. New products have to be designed that are useful to the common man. Our innovations have to create livelihood and improve the quality of life in rural areas.