Saluting Indian innovators for their innovations

On the occasion of the 35th National Science Day, we salute all researchers who worked tirelessly to deliver India’s indigenously-made Covaxin against Covid-19

Alvarinho J Luis | FEBRUARY 28, 2021, 12:09 AM IST

The National Science Day is celebrated on February 28 every year to highlight the importance of science, scientists, and scientific progressions in our life. It is also a day to showcase innovations, the efforts made in the field of science for human welfare, and to discuss issues facing the field of science. 

The day commemorates the discovery of the Raman scattering by Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman. He received the Nobel prize in 1930 in physics for his discovery of Raman Spectroscopy, which is used in chemistry to probe the chemical composition of materials. 

The Government of India designated 28 February as National Science Day since 1987. On this day schools and colleges organize science fests and exhibitions to inspire students to choose science as their career and to give them a platform to showcase their inventions to the public. The celebration is a call to support and inspire innovations of pioneering scientists like Dr APJ Abdul Kalam who worked dedicatedly to upgrade the level of science and technology in India. 

The theme of the National Science Day is related to science and technology and how it impacts human life. This year’s theme is “Future of science, technology, and innovation: impacts on education skill and work.” The theme highlights the future impact of science, technology, and innovation in the field of education and work. 

The Department of Science and Technology organizes a special programme in New Delhi. On this programme to highlight science, many are awarded prizes nationally according to their unique contributions. Occasionally every year the special science showcases are arranged by a famous scientist. The National award for Science and Communication to five institutions in India. These awards are presented to recognize the efforts of government and non-governmental bodies and the individuals who assisted to popularize science in India. 

Many schools and colleges, science exhibition is arranged and many other competitions also organized on this occasion, where students represent their projects. Scientists are invited to many famous colleges as chief guests and they share all their experiences, inspire them and interact with students.

Why care about science? Science provides us all gadgets designed through innovations. The mixer, car, bike, iron, mobile phone, TV, washing machine, train, bus, laptop, etc are products of innovative ideas. Good is always good so we need not discuss more good, since we know the benefits of science. 

Many Goan personalities won accolades for their innovations. The Goan priest Abbé Faria pioneered the scientific study of hypnotism and changed the terminology of mesmerism to Fariism. Another Goan Rui de Figueiredo - an electrical engineer, mathematician, computer scientist, and professor at the University of California - supported a variety of NASA space exploration projects. Charles Correa was an Indian architect and urban planner, who is credited with the creation of modern architecture in post-Independent India. The list goes on…

The other side of the coin is how science can be misused by selfish elements. The US detonated two nuclear weapons over Hiroshima and Nagasaki which killed between 1,29000 and 2,26000 civilians, respectively. Science should not be utilized for destruction but should be a handy tool for solving the problems of humanity and improve the quality of life. Scientists should focus on the societal needs and global challenges, and help in formulating strategies for better Governance. 

In India, though science and technology remain a male-dominated field like much of the world, the contribution of women scientists cannot be ignored. Women like Ritu Karidhal, Chandrima Saha, and others have taken on leading roles. Tessy Thomas is the first women scientist to head a missile project in India. She is the Director-General of Aeronautical Systems and the former Project Director for Agni-IV missile in Defence Research and Development Organisation. 

As Mission Director of Chandrayaan-2, Ritu Karidhal was also the Deputy Operations Director to India’s Mars Orbiter Mission. Muthayya Vanitha is the Project Director of Chandrayaan-2, and the first woman to lead the interplanetary mission at the Indian Space Research Organization. The former Director-General Soumya Swaminathan makes India proud as Chief Scientist of the World Health Organisation.

According to research, only a few Indian women are studying science but a few of them are pursuing it as a career. Efforts and incentives are needed to increase this number. Quoting Mangala Mani: Women just need to be willing, ready, and take that opportunity when it comes. With the knowledge explosion, the sky is not the limit, there is much more beyond.

Times of India reported that India has only two women scientists out of ten researchers or just 14% of Indian researchers are women. As per a global survey by the Association for Psychological Science, girls outperform boys in the field of science.

On the occasion of the 35th National Science Day, we salute all researchers who worked tirelessly to deliver India’s indigenously-made Covaxin against Covid-19. The core research for Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech - the vaccines in the US - is done by female researcher Katalin Karikó, while Novovax another promising vaccine in the US is led by Gita Patel, an immigrant from Gujarat. Their innovative zeal and pioneering research have helped India and the world to combat Covid-19. May Indian science continue to prosper and may our young minds develop even greater curiosity towards science.


(The author is a scientist, researches on global climate change issues and is a freelance writer.)   

 

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