Text of PM’s inaugural address at 103rd session of Indian Science Congress
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today delivered the
inaugural address at the 103rd Indian Science Congress at the University
of Mysore. The theme of this year’s Congress is “Science and Technology
for Indigenous Development in India.”
The Prime Minister released the 103rd ISC Plenary Proceedings,
and the Technology Vision 2035 document. He gave away the ISCA Awards
for 2015-16.
Following is the text of the Prime Minister’s address:
Governor of Karnataka Shri Vajubhai Vala
Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri Siddaramaiah
My cabinet colleagues, Dr Harsh Vardhan and Shri Y.S.Chowdary
Bharat Ratna Professor C.N.R. Rao
Prof A.K.Saxena;
Prof. K.S. Rangappa,
Nobel Laureates and Field Medalist
Distinguished scientists and delegates,
It is a great pleasure to begin the year in the company of leaders of science and technology from India and the world.
For our confidence about the future of India comes from our faith in you.
It is a huge honour and privilege to address the 103rd Science Congress in the centenary year of the University of Mysore.
Some of the tallest leaders of India have passed through the doors of this respected institution.
The great philosopher and India’s second President Dr. Radhakrishnan and Bharat Ratna Professor CNR Rao are among them.
The history of the Science Congress and the University of Mysore began around the same time.
It was the time of a new awakening in India. It sought not just freedom, but also human advancement in India.
It wanted not just an independent India, but an India that could stand
independently on the strength of its human resources, scientific
capabilities and industrial development.
This university is a testimony to the vision of a great generation of Indians.
Now, we have launched yet another revolution of empowerment and opportunities in India.
And, we are once again turning to our scientists and innovators to realize our goals of human welfare and economic development.
The world has progressed because of human instinct to enquire and explore for knowledge but also to address human challenges.
No one reflected this spirit more than late President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.
His was a life of outstanding scientific achievements; and, his was a heart of boundless compassion and concern for humanity.
For him, the highest purpose of science was the transformation of the life of the weak, the under-privileged and the youth.
And, his life’s mission was a self-reliant and a self-assured India that was strong and cared for its people.
Your theme for this Congress is a fitting tribute to his vision.
And, it is leaders like Professor Rao and President Kalam, and
scientists like you, who have placed India at the forefront of science
and technology in many areas.
Our success spans from the core of the tiny atom to the vast frontier of
space. We have enhanced food and health security; and, we have given
hope for a better life to others in the world.
As we increase the level of our ambition for our people, we will also have to increase the scale of our efforts.
So, for me, good governance is not just about policy and decision
making, transparency and accountability. It is also about integrating
science and technology into the choices we make and the strategies we
pursue.
Our digital networks are expanding the quality and reach of public
services and social benefits for the poor. And, in the first ever
National Space Conference, we identified 170 applications that touch
almost every aspect of governance, development and conservation.
We are launching Startup India that will encourage innovation and
enterprise. We are creating technology incubators in academic
institutions. And, I have asked for a framework of Scientific Audit for
scientific departments and institutions in the government.
It is with the same spirit of cooperative federalism that is shaping
centre-state relations in every area, that I am encouraging greater
scientific collaboration between Central and State institutions and
agencies.
We will also try to increase the level of resources for science, and deploy them in accordance with our strategic priorities,
We will make it easier to do science and research in India, improve
science administration, and expand the supply and improve the quality of
science education and research in India.
At the same time, innovation must not be just the goal of our science.
Innovation must also drive the scientific process. Frugal innovation
and crowd sourcing are examples of efficient and effective scientific
enterprise.
And, innovation in approach is not just the obligation of the
government, but also the responsibility of the private sector and the
academia.
In a world of resource constraints and competing claims, we have to be
smart in defining our priorities. And, it is especially important in
India, where challenges are many and the scale is enormous – from health
and hunger to energy and economy.
Distinguished delegates,
Today, I wanted to speak to you about one of the biggest challenges for
the world, and one that dominated global attention last year –to define a
path to a more prosperous future for our world and a more sustainable
future for our planet.
In 2015, the world took two historic steps.
Last September, the United Nations adopted the Development Agenda for
2030. It places elimination of poverty by the end of 2030 and economic
development at the top of our priorities, but with equal emphasis on
sustainability of our environment and our habitats.
And, last November in Paris, the world came together to craft a historic agreement to change the course of our planet.
But, we achieved something else that is equally important.
We succeeded in bringing innovation and technology to the heart of the climate change discourse.
We were consistent in our message that it is not enough to speak of
targets and restraints. It is essential to find solutions that help us
transition easily to a future of clean energy.
I also said in Paris that innovation is important not just for combating
climate change, but also for climate justice. For, the developed world
must leave enough of the little carbon space left for developing
countries to grow.
For this, we need research and innovation to make clean energy technology available, accessible and affordable for all.
At Paris, President Hollande, President Obama and I joined a number of global leaders for an Innovation Summit.
We pledged to double national investments in innovation; and, build a
global partnership that combines the responsibility of governments with
the innovative capacity of the private sector.
I also suggested an international network of 30-40 universities
and labs focusing for next ten years on transforming the way we
produce, distribute and consume energy. We will also pursue this in G
20.
We need innovation to make renewable energy much cheaper; more reliable; and, easier to connect to transmission grids.
This is especially critical for India to achieve our target of adding 175 GW of renewable generation by 2022.
We must also make fossil fuel like coal cleaner and more
efficient. And, we should tap newer sources of renewable energy, from
ocean waves to geothermal energy.
At a time when energy sources that fueled the industrial age
have put our planet in peril, and, as the developing world now seeks to
lift billions of people into prosperity, the world must turn to Sun to
power our future.
So, at Paris, India launched an International Solar Alliance to forge a partnership between solar-rich countries.
We need science and technology not just to make clean energy an
integral part of our existence, but also to combat the impact of climate
change on our lives.
We have to develop climate resilient agriculture. We must
understand the impact of climate change on our weather, biodiversity,
glaciers, and oceans; and, how to adjust to them. We must strengthen
our ability to forecast natural disasters.
Distinguished delegates,
We must also address the rising challenges of rapid urbanisation. This will be critical for a sustainable world.
For the first time in human history, we are in an urban century.
By the middle of this century, two-thirds of the world’s population
will live in cities. A little less than 3.0 billion people will join the
existing 3.5 billion urban dwellers. And, 90% of the increase will come
from developing countries.
Many urban clusters in Asia will exceed the population of mid-sized countries elsewhere in the world.
More than 50% of India will be living in urban habitats by 2050.
And, by 2025, India may already have more than 10% of the global urban
population.
Studies suggest that nearly 40% of the global urban population
lives in informal settlements, or slums, where they face a range of
health and nutritional challenges.
Cities are the major engines of economic growth, employment opportunities and prosperity.
But, cities account for more than two-thirds of global energy demand and result in up to 80% of global greenhouse gas emission.
That is why I have placed so much emphasis on smart cities.
It is not just about cities that are networked to become more
efficient, safe and better in delivery of services. It is also a vision
of sustainable cities that are both locomotives of our economies and
havens of healthy living.
We will need sound policies to achieve our goals, but we will rely on science and technology to provide creative solutions.
We must develop better scientific tools to improve city planning
with sensitivity to local ecology and heritage; and, reduce the demand
for transportation, improve mobility and reduce congestion.
Much of our urban infrastructure is yet to be built. We must
maximise the use of local material with scientific improvements; and,
and make buildings more energy efficient.
We have to find affordable and practical solutions for solid
waste management; converting waste into building material and energy;
and, recycling waste water.
Urban agriculture and ecology should get more attention. And,
our children must breathe cleaner city air. And, we need solutions that
are comprehensive and rooted in science and innovation.
We need your inputs to make our cities more immune to the
consequences of natural disasters and our homes more resilient. This
will also mean making retrofit of buildings affordable.
Distinguished delegates,
A sustainable future for this planet will depend not only on what we do on land, but also on how we treat our oceans.
Oceans occupy more than 70% of our planet; and, over 40% of
humanity and 60% of the world’s largest cities are found within 100
kilometers of the coast.
We are at the cusp of a new era, where oceans will become
important drivers of our economies. Their sustainable use can bring
prosperity; and, give us clean energy, new medicines and food security
beyond just fisheries.
That is why I refer to the Small Island States as Large Ocean States.
Ocean is critical to India’s future, too, with over 1300
islands, a 7500 km coastline and 2.4 million square kilometers of
Exclusive Economic Zone.
That is why, in the past year, we have increased our focus on
ocean or blue economy. We will raise the level of our scientific
efforts in marine science.
We will set up an advanced centre of research in marine biology
and biotechnology and establish a network of coastal and island research
stations in India and abroad.
We have entered into agreements on marine science and ocean
economy with several countries. We will also hold an International
Conference on “Ocean economy and Pacific Island Countries” in New Delhi
in 2016.
Distinguished delegates,
Rivers have played as important a role in human history as
oceans. Civilisations have been nurtured by rivers. And, rivers will
remain critical for our future.
So, revival of rivers is an essential part of my commitment for a
cleaner and healthier future for our society, economic opportunities
for our people, and renewal of our heritage.
We need regulations, policy, investments and management to
achieve our objective. But, we will succeed only when we integrate
technology, engineering and innovation into our efforts, not just to
clean our rivers now but to keep them healthy in the future as well.
For this, we also need scientific understanding of the impact of
urbanisation, farming, industrialisation and groundwater use and
contamination on the river eco-system.
River is the soul of Nature. Their renewal must be an element of a larger effort to sustain Nature.
In India, we see humanity as part of Nature, not outside or superior to it, and divinity manifested in Nature's diverse forms.
So, conservation is rooted in the natural instincts of our culture and tradition, and in our commitment to the future.
India has a rich heritage of ecological knowledge. We have
scientific institutions and human resources to mount concerted national
action on conservation of Nature that is rooted firmly in scientific
studies and methods.
Distinguished delegates,
And, if we wish to restore the harmony between human and Nature,
we must also harness the full potential of traditional knowledge.
Societies across the world have developed this enormous wealth through wisdom gathered over the ages.
And, they hold the secrets to economic, efficient, and, environment friendly solutions to many of our problems.
But, today they are at risk of extinction in our globalised world.
Like traditional knowledge, science has also evolved through
human experiences and exploration of Nature. So, we must recognize that
science, as we see it, does not constitute the only form of empirical
knowledge about the world.
And, we must bridge the distance between traditional knowledge
and modern science, so that we can craft local and more sustainable
solutions for our challenges.
So, in agriculture, even as we seek to make our farms yield
more, reduce the intensity of our water use, or increase the nutrient
content of our farm output,
we should also integrate traditional techniques, local
practices and organic farming to make our agriculture less resource
intensive and more resilient.
And, in the area of health, modern medicines have transformed
healthcare. But, we must also use scientific techniques and methods to
delve deeper into traditional medicines and practices like Yoga for more
holistic lifestyle and change our paradigm from treatment to wellness.
This is especially important in dealing with growing challenge
of lifestyle diseases that take a huge toll in terms of human lives and
economic costs.
Distinguished delegates,
As a nation we still inhabit many worlds.
We are at the global frontiers of achievements in science and technology.
We also see the uncertainty and despair of many living at the
edge of existence, looking for a life of hope, opportunity, dignity and
equity.
We must meet these aspirations at a speed and on a scale that is rare in human history.
And, from the richness of our tradition, the consciousness of
our age and the strength of our commitment to our world, we must choose
the most sustainable path possible.
The success of one-sixth of humanity will also mean a more prosperous and a sustainable future for the world.
We can only do this with your leadership and support.
We will realise it when, in the words of Vikram Sarabhai, “we
encourage scientists to interest themselves in problems outside their
fields of specialization.”
And, the impact of science will be the most when scientists and technologists will keep the principles
of what I call Five Es at the centre of their enquiry and engineering:
Economy – when we find cost effective and efficient solutions
Environment – when our carbon footprint is the lightest and the impact on the ecology is the least possible
Energy – when our prosperity relies less on energy; and the energy we use keeps our skies blue and our earth green.
Empathy – when our efforts are in tune with our culture, circumstances and social challenges.
Equity – when science advances inclusive development and improves the welfare of the weakest.
This year we mark a hundred years of a significant moment in the
history of science, when Albert Einstein published in 1916 “The
Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity”. Today, we must recall
the humanism that defined his thought: “Concern for man himself and his
fate must always form the chief interest of all technical endeavours. “
Nothing can be a higher duty for us, whether we are in public
life, or we are private citizens, and whether we are in business or
explore science, than to leave the planet in a better state for our
future generations.
Let the different disciplines of science, technology and engineering unite behind this common purpose.
Thank you.
