Industry packs biotech boost for Pawar campaign

Feel good’s fine but India can’t shine unless rural India shines. And Sharad Pawar, Mukesh Ambani and Rahul Bajaj and Kiran Mazumd...

Feel good’s fine but India can’t shine unless rural India shines. And Sharad Pawar, Mukesh Ambani and Rahul Bajaj and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, who heads the country’s first biotech firm Biocon India, at the inauguration of the NCP chief’s biotech institute in his constituency, Baramati.

The event on Pawar’s home turf kicked off a campaign of sorts with Pawar as champion of rural progress. Vidya Pratishthan’s School of Biotechnology (VSBT) would be the first facility of its kind for research and biotech studies in rural Maharashtra, said Pawar who heads the Pratishthan. ‘‘Baramati is an eloquent lesson for every elected representative… (of) how a committed representative can transform his constituency into an important centre for development and professional resource,’’ Ambani said. Bajaj went a step ahead, saying: ‘‘I will not comment on the feel good factor but surely India needs to move forward in a collective manner and we need men of integrity to achieve this. We should vote for a good candidate irrespective of the party.’’

The compliments came after Pawar recalled the contributions of three generations of the Bajajs towards the country’s progress and making an impact on the world. ‘‘This is election time and I would not like to add any more as I may risk losing a vote,’’ he said, holding back from lauding Bajaj, who belongs to Baramati.

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Ambani and Mazumdar-Shaw went on to announce their contribution to the Pratishthan’s biotech initiative. ‘‘In the next 60 days, Reliance will provide a 256 kbps broadband connectivity to VSBT to enable the school develop world class digital infrastructure,’’ Ambani said. Further, Reliance Life Sciences Institute will recruit students from VSBT from 2005 when the first batch of biotechnologists graduate.

‘‘We need to address issues like setting up more such centres to produce trained professionals, focus on jobs for individuals from these institutions, provide entrepreneurial support and ensure an apt shift in mindset,’’ Mazumdar-Shaw said. Biocon will invest Rs 5 lakh per year to enable VSBT invite an eminent teacher from any part of the world. Another Rs 5 lakh per year would go towards industry-sponsored research projects.