‘Science should make country atmanirbhar’: PM Modi inaugurates 108th Indian Science Congress in Nagpur

“When the spirit of national service gets infused in science along with passion, results are unprecedented. I am sure, India’s scientific community will ensure a place for our country of which it was always
deserving,” he said. The Prime Minister also stressed on the increasing importance of data gathering and analysis as well as the importance of traditional knowledge alongside modern knowledge.

PM Modi pointed out that women’s participation in extramural research has doubled over the last eight years. “India has been given the opportunity to preside over G20. Women-led development is one of the high-priority subjects taken up by the chair. In the last eight years, India has taken up extraordinary tasks ranging from governance to society to economy which is being discussed all over the world today. Through the Mudra Yojana, women have showcased their strength in businesses and small industries. Women’s participation in the field of extramural research and development has doubled – the increasing participation of women is proof that women and science are both progressing in the nation,” he said.

“Efforts of science can turn into great achievements only when they come out of the lab and reach the land, and their impact reaches from global to grassroots, when its ambit is from journal to zameen and when change is visible from research to real life,” he added.

PM Modi further said that institutional framework must be developed to encourage youth in science, including holding talent searches and hackathons.

Pointing out issues that will pave the way for the development of science in the nation, the Prime Minister remarked that fulfilling India’s requirements should be the root of all inspiration for the entire scientific community. “Science in India should make the country atmanirbhar,” he added.

The Prime Minister further pointed out the need to focus on energy innovation, with energy needs continuing to be on the rise. He endorsed the need for the scientific community to focus on working on a National Hydrogen Mission and stressed the need to manufacture critical equipment like electrolysers in India to make it a success.

PM Modi also emphasised the role of the scientific community in developing ways to deal with emerging diseases and the need to encourage research in developing new vaccines. He talked about integrated disease surveillance for the timely detection of diseases. For this, he stressed the need for coordinated efforts of
all ministries. Similarly, LiFE or the Lifestyle for Environment movement may greatly be helped by scientists.

The Prime Minister noted that it is a matter of pride for every citizen that on India’s call, the United Nations has declared the year 2023 as the International Year of Millets. He pointed out that work can be done to improve India’s millets and their uses while effective steps can be taken by the scientific community to reduce post-harvest losses with the help of biotechnology.

The Prime Minister underlined the role of science in waste management as municipal solid waste, electronic waste, bio-medical waste and agricultural waste are expanding and the government is promoting a circular economy.

Modi also acknowledged the role of low-cost satellite launch vehicles in the booming space sector in India and pointed to the importance of quantum computing. “India is moving fast in the direction of quantum computers, chemistry, communication, sensors, cryptography and new materials,” he said.

The Prime Minister stressed the need to focus on futuristic ideas and “areas where no work is happening anywhere” as well as the importance of keeping Artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) as priorities. He exhorted the scientific community to come up with innovations in semiconductor chips and asked them to think about keeping the semiconductor push future-ready from now on.

The first session of the Indian Science Congress was held in 1914. The 108th annual session of ISC will be held at Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, which is also celebrating its centenary this year.