NITI Aayog Member Extols Jawaharlal Nehru’s Views On Science

Mumbai: NITI Aayog Member and defence scientist Vijay Kumar Saraswat on Wednesday extolled the virtues of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru who believed that only science and technology could remove hunger and poverty from the country. Inaugurating a mega science expo, the first “Vigyan Samagam” at the Nehru Science Centre before a distinguished audience, Saraswat said it would go a long way in attracting the best brains to science which have been migrating to fields like Information Technology.

“Former PM Nehru had said it is only science and technology which can remove hunger and poverty from the country. From then onwards, India had made great strides in basic research. Science is used not only to create energy but also for cancer research,” Saraswat said. Besides, atomic energy, India has made great contributions in the field of space science, as evident in Mangalyan and Chandrayan missions, he pointed out.

However, India still faces serious problems like high infant mortality rate and penury for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked Indian science to step out of laboratories and solve problems confronting the society, Saraswat said in his inaugural address. “Commercialisation of research has to happen for economic development. Better understanding of the universe and planet will help solve problems that we have created by adverse use of science and technology without regard for the environment,” he urged. (IANS)

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