Technology146;s cutting edge

India is the only non-OECD country which defies the digital divide. Digital traffic is between US, EEC and Japan. The only exception is India and the US, which accounts for 20 per cent of the global traffic. Eighteen of the top 25 countries achieving the highest software standards in the world are Indian and more than a third of the software expenses of the Fortune 500 companies is sourced to India. When the bottom fell out of the global software market, India8217;s exports still expanded at rates between 30 to 40 per cent. Policy reform was important, but the knowledge advantage was built up by leaders and men of vision in the last century. There is a lot of whining being done by some international agencies and their contracted researchers in Delhi on India8217;s IT performance, and these people were always against expenditures on advanced science and technology in India. In a research piece in an OECD-ADB study on technology and poverty removal, Brahm Prakash of the ADB has provided a reasoned counter to such a position.

It is, however, important to further strengthen and consolidate the mode of policies which expand India8217;s knowledge base, keep it at the global frontiers and consolidate the links between the structure of broad-based growth and technology. The farmer, the artisan and the housewife must be able to perceive the concrete changes science brings to their lives. The excitement of science has to be a part of the horizons of young Indians, at present being targeted by all kinds of fanatics.

I had at one stage tried to find out all the innovative schemes other countries have to support science. We found that we had the most number of such schemes in India but China had a scheme called 8/92 which we didn8217;t. It provided support at a global level to selected young researchers who dared to work on the global frontiers of research. At my prodding as minister of science, we started a scheme called the 8216;Suvarna Jayanti Fellowships8217;. I have two recollections of that particular decision. One, that a very eminent aging scientist wanted this scheme to include people like him. Two, in the first list produced, there were few people from the universities 8212; most were from the official establishments. We sent the list back since. In terms of the money put in, universities definitely do better, although I was told those other fellows did better. But now again there is hardly anybody from the universities who gets these fellowships.

The Technology Development Board TDB was set up when I was minister to help in productionising the fruit of Indian science. It is a remarkable organisation. It is run by an autonomous board which has representatives of the corporate sector involved as well. Ashok Ganguly, at my request, took personal interest in the project and the Chambers of Commerce really got into the act. Some very competitive projects, which otherwise would not have seen the light of day, covered the last mile and I always feel good when I read their dividend announcements. Somehow one now gets a feeling that the link between business and the TDB is tending to weaken. Indian industry and the science establishments need to have the stamina to pursue good ideas with tenacity.

Finally, it is great to honour our scientists on Technology Day, but will someone get down to fixing the responsibilities on those who framed some of our top scientists in espionage cases. After the report produced by a committee I chaired on recruitment and training of the higher civil service is published, I hope to push the agenda of reform. Both Justice Venkatachaliah and my committee have not agreed to undermining the constitutional privileges of the higher civil service. But, of course, together with privileges go responsibilities.