Prime Minister Narendra Modi today urged the budding scientists to help raise the people from poverty by the use of science and technology.
Inaugurating the Nobel Prize exhibition, he said, "Thanks to science and technology, the human race has flourished. Large numbers are enjoying a quality of life unparallelled in human history".
"Yet India has a great challenge to raise many from poverty. You will be scientists soon and must not neglect this challenge," he told the students in the presence of nine Nobel laureates, who are here as a part 'Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit'.
The Nobel laureates, who would interact with students of Indian Universities, include India-born and Gujarat-educated scientist Dr Venkatraman Ramakrishnan.
Ramakrishnan won 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on ribosome structure. He shared the prize with fellow scientists Thomas A Steitz and Ada Yonath.
The others are Dr Richard J Roberts (1993, Medicine), Dr Harold Varmus (1989, Medicine), Dr David J Gross (2004, Physics), Dr Serge Haroche (2012, Physics), Dr Randy Schekman (2013, Medicine), Dr W E Moerner (2014, Chemistry), Dr H C Harmut Michel (1988, Chemistry) and Dr Ada Yonath.
The PM said on earlier occasions one, two or three Nobel laureates have visited India and interacted with students and scientists in a limited manner.
"But today we are making history by having a galaxy of Nobel laureates in Gujarat. I heartily welcome all the Nobel laureates here. You are all valued friends of India. Some of you have been earlier several times, one of you were born here. He actually grew up in Vadodara," Modi said.
"My government has a clear vision of where we want India to be in the next 15 years. Science and technology is the pivot on which that vision will translate into strategy and action. Our vision in science and technology is to make sure that opportunity is available to all our youths," he said.
Modi said his government has a plan to that will take this
vision through action.
"Our scientists have been asked to develop programmes on science teaching in our schools across the country. This will also involve training teachers," he said, adding that at the the next level they have been asked to create new programmes both in skilling and high-tech training.
"These programmes will make you employable in the new knowledge economy and make you effective entrepreneurs and thinking scientists. You will be able to compete for positions and jobs here and anywhere in the world," the PM said.
"Next, our scientists will link our laboratories in cities. You can share ideas, resources and equipment. This will allow us to do more and better collaborative science.
"Our science agencies will expand science-driven entrepreneurship and commercialisation in a big way in each state according to local needs. Your start-ups and industry can then compete globally," he added.
"These seeds must be planted this year and we will then see fruits come steadily," Modi said.
