Customisation of scientific works becomes a trouble: VK Saraswat

Hyderabad: Scientific advisor to Prime Minister and chief of DRDO Dr VK Saraswat felt that customisation of various scientific works has become a big problem and there was a massive disconnect between the scientific institutions and governmental agencies.

"When some inventions which can be of immense use for the society are made, it has become practically difficult for the people who discovered it, as various governmental departments with their lack of knowledge or interest exhibit disinterest to adopt them. Perhaps this is why some scientists like Dr Kalam, Dr Swaminathan and Dr Kurien could not take off in the way they actually deserve to," he remarked. In a way, he has mentioned the bureaucratic bottlenecks as well.

Dr Saraswat has released the biography of Dr Y Nayudamma- an eminent scientist who died in Kanishka aircraft tragedy in 1985- on Monday. Talking on the occasion, he has urged the scientists to take fruits of scientific research to the masses especially to villages. "Dr Nayudamma has worked relentlessly all through his life for conversion of scientific work for the betterment of the nation. Let me mention here that the famous Karimnagar project which was his brain child in 1970s. He tried to use an integrated technology focus to tap locally available resources to develop the district," he explained.

"The Prime Minister has called upon the scientific community to come out of labs and do something which can actually be of some help the people. Nayudamma did exactly this and I hope the scientists of this generation should take him by example," Saraswat suggested.

Disclosing his own experiences, Saraswat said, "After the completion of B Tech in 1970s, I went to Chennai for an interview for research fellowship. I was interviewed by Nayudamma and he rejected me on the grounds that I don't have the language of scientist. It was a lesson to me and later I developed the kind of language that is required for a scientist. It's a greatest moment for me when I went to Tenali to receive Nayudamma memorial award a few years back."

The book was written by Dr Chandrahas, a retired IRS officer. His colleagues Leelavathi Mahapatra, Vasundhara Sinha along with Venkata Rao, senior journalist also shared their views. A Former chairman of higher education council Dr Subba Rao and former commissioner of technical education Dr Lakshminarayana also spoke at the occasion. A Anjana Yelavarthy along with her husband Nani received a copy of the book.