Mars mission remarkable, but not true innovation, says scientist

“In India, the focus has been on spirituality and understanding of the self. There has been no genuine curiosity about understanding processes of nature and little effort in exploring cultures. Replication of a demonstrated technology represents great intellect in developing specific skills, but it is not true innovation. The Mars mission is a truly remarkable achievement. But you cannot call it true innovation, we have copied technology,” said Saxena.

When asked what he thinks of a session on ancient Indian sciences through Sanskrit, in which a paper spoke of how before Wright Brothers’ first flight, a Mumbai couple pulled off a demonstration flight on Chowpatty beach, Saxena said science is objective and unless there is tangible proof, people will consider it hearsay. “If we were so good, why doesn’t it get reflected in society today? Our achievement in spirituality has been great, just as the West has made great achievements in science,” he said.

He questioned: “What’s our strategy, let the West innovate and we shall keep following them?

Or we shall learn to innovate and not keep doing peripheral science?”