Inaugurating the new building of the Department of Biological Sciences and Bio-Engineering at the IIT Kanpur, Vajpayee said the private sector and IIT alumni should contribute to the development of the new IITs.
Vajpayee lauded Communications and Disinvestment Minister Arun Shourie's initiative of donating his entire six-year MPLAD grant of Rs 12 crore to fund the department's state- of-the-art building. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav was also present on the occasion.
Vajpayee said, "the bio-technology revolution was unfolding itself and would change the world beyond imagination".
Shourie said that India had attained world standards where it had done its own research, as in space, atomic energy, telecommunication.
He said that UP had lost out to other states like Karnataka, Andhra, and Maharashtra, but this should not happen in the field of biosciences and bio-engineering, since UP had the capacity to lead the country in this area.