Message From The Desk of The General President

Message From The Desk of The General President		Welcome Message of The Vice-chancellor
Dr. Ashok Kumar Saxena Emeritus Fellow U.G.C., New Delhi Department of Zoology D.A.V. College Kanpur		Prof. K.S. Rangappa Vice-Chancellor University of Mysore
Thousands of year before Christ, man lighted fire for the first time, and since then the progress of human civilization started. The prosperity and progress of a civilization is always dependent on its unending quest for discovery and innovations. The civilization that is built upon the foundation of science and technology will progress, prosper and reach the zenith. India was the cradle of two marvelous ancient civilizations of Harappa and Mohen-jo-Daro whose Science and Technology still fascinates the modern world. It can be rightly and boastfully said that the rendezvous of India with science and technology is thousands of years old, and all through these ages Indians have contributed immensely and significantly in this field. From the ancient ages of Vedic mathematics, to the modern times of space age, India has always made her presence felt proudly amongst the leaders in the field of science and innovations. Our immense thirst of science and technology will never be quenched and we will move forward with time, opening up newer frontiers. The Indian Science Congress Association was established in the year 1914 with the sole motto of illuminating the path of science and technology in our country. Today, when India is emerging strongly as a developing country, its economy is getting stronger, it should not be forgotten that the contribution of Science and Technology has helped India immensely to achieve this feat. It is really a sense of great pleasure that the 103rd annual session of Indian Science Congress is being held in the city of Mysuru. The city has a rich cultural and historical importance. Besides being known as the City of Palaces, the city is also referred to as the cultural capital of South Karnataka. Although tourism remains to be the dominant industry in Mysuru, presently information technology has emerged as a major employer alongside the traditional industries. The 103rd session of the Congress has been convened at the University of Mysore between 3rd and 7th January, 2016. The focal theme of this session, ‘Science and Technology for Indigenous Development in India’ is very relevant with the present scenario of the country, when our Honorable Prime Minister has rightfully raised the slogan of ‘Make in India’. I am sure that the 103rd annual session of the congress will show endeavour to discuss about the various paths to achieve this goal.		It is a great honour bestowed on the University of Mysore to host the prestigious 103rd Indian Science Congress. As the Vice Chancellor of one of the oldest and the most prestigious universities in the country, I extend a warm welcome to all the delegates, participants, policy makers, sponsors and exhibitors to the 103rd session of the Indian Science Congress after a gap of 34 years in the historic city of Mysuru, especially at a time when the University is celebrating its Centenary. The theme chosen for this session of the Indian Science Congress is “Science and Technology for Indigenous Development in India.” Indian science has steadily reached a stage where the world can look up to us and nothing signifies it better than the successful launch of the Mars Orbiter Mission using indigenous technology. Contemporary development in the field of indigenous drug discovery for diagnosis and treatment of population specific diseases is also very noteworthy. With the advent of technology and the contributions of science in our country, we are on the way to make indigenous products at affordable costs which will go a long way to alleviate many health issues facing the burgeoning population. The indigenous technology and the research by scientists will go a long way in improving the quality of life of the common man and also the economy of the country. To achieve this goal, lot of interactions, collaborations, resource sharing and exchange of ideas must happen. With nearly 20,000 brilliant brains converging at the 103rd Science Congress, I strongly believe that a roadmap for the indigenous Science and technology will be drawn more specifically to meet the societal expectation of our country. Prof. K.S. Rangappa Vice-Chancellor University of Mysore
Dr. Ashok Kumar Saxena General President The Indian Science Congress Association