President asks scientists not to compromise their request for

President Ram Nath Kovind today urged scientists not to compromise their quest for knowledge, from atoms to galaxies, as society demands solutions to daily problems.

"These two endeavours are not contradictory. We have seen how ISRO has succeeded through the efforts of late Dr Satish Dhawan in combining cutting-edge science with helping farmers," he said in at a round-table discussion with scientists here.

"Today you have the opportunity to pioneer a revolution where all the scientific institutes in Bengaluru work together. They can share their strengths and show by example how science and technology can take us to new heights," he said.
 

The President said knowledge, discovery, innovation and society were the four wheels that take a country forward, but slightest misstep by one will take the nation in wrong direction or stall it.

"As scientists, you have an immense responsibility. You are directly in charge of three wheels. But unless you connect every day with the fourth, we have no future," he said.

Kovind said the size of a challenge to lift people out of poverty and ensure food among other aspects, was enormous.

"Today, India is in an unusual situation. We face enormous challenges. We are to lift our people out of poverty, ensure their health and well-being and ensure our food and energy security. The size of the challenge is enormous," he said.

Kovind said the India was among the world's best in nano-science and materials science due to Professor C N R Rao.

The President said India was a leader in generic drugs and vaccines, and the biotech start-up ecosystem was extraordinarily vibrant in Bengaluru.

Kovind said, for thousands of years, from the age of Aryabhatta and Charaka, India has embraced science and its sense of inquiry.

"From eminent scientists such as C.V. Raman to S Chandrashekar, G N Ramachandran to Obaid Siddiqi and Rao to my illustrious predecessor Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, it is the investment in curiosity driven science that has paid off to society. The saga continues with younger scientists today," he said.