Science in India - doomed to obscurity?

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So many of us love Science. It was our favorite subject in school. It made sense, it made us feel that this world is supposed to make sense. That it works on logic and is, to the extent determined by our understanding of it, understandable, estimable, maybe even predictable.

 [Don't raise incongruous voices saying one shouldn't try to understand life, just enjoy it. Or if you could predict life, wouldn't it be boring? I'm not addressing generations that frequently complain of "ennui" (it's quite fashionable nowadays) spoilt such that they crave an escape from the luxury of security. I'm talking of people who struggle for necessities, for whom the predictability that a certain medicine would fetch them a cure would be so very welcome. Or poor families that would like to derive peace from the knowledge that investing in education will someday bring them better standards of living.]

 Anyhow, the point was, that so many of us loved Science so much that when we had to make career choices, we promptly jumped into Engineering, Medicine or Administration. I'm not saying everyone needs to justify their interests in Science by delivering career-choices and life-impacting decisions based on it. I'm saying:

 If someone loves Science, and is willing to enter this arena cognizant of its pros and cons, please do not try to deter them.

 Especially for want of money, fame, or social consonance.

 [And more categorically, please try to stop thinking it's okay to over-ride anyone else's opinions regarding their own lives. Seriously, with such profound wisdom, why not try focusing on your own life?
But that's a sermon for another day.]

The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (SSB) Prize for Science and Technology


 I admit I'd never heard of it myself till I actually made an unadulterated venture into Science. However, never too late to bring to the public's notice that the Government of India awards the SSB Prize (along with an amount of INR 5 lakh) for outstanding contribution to Science and Technology. These awards are supposed to encourage innovation, intellect and basically just good, sound work. A look at the recipients for the year of 2015:
  1. Dr Balasubramanian Gopal: Indian Institute of Science Bangalore
  2. Dr Rajeev Kumar Varshney: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) Hyderabad
  3. Dr D Srinivasa Reddy: CSIR National Chemical Laboratory Pune
  4. Dr Pradyut Ghosh: Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science Kolkata
  5. Dr Jyotiranjan Srichandan Ray:  Physical Research Laboratory Ahmedabad
  6. Dr Yogesh Moreshwar Joshi: Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
  7. Dr K Sandeep: Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Bangalore
  8. Dr Ritabrata Munshi: Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Mumbai
  9. Dr Vidita Ashok Vaidya: Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Mumbai
  10. Dr Bedangadas Mohanty: National Institute of Science Education and Research Bhubaneswar
  11. Dr Mandar Madhukar Deshmukh: Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Mumbai
A big congratulations to all these scholars!

Have you heard of them? If you're not a part of the academia, probably not. But everyone hears of that one graduate every year from one or the IIT or IIM who has the biggest package of that year. 

Does that graduate not deserve that fame? - I'm sure he/she does! They must have worked hard for it and it is, by no standards, a mean feat.

Do the IITs and IIMs not deserve their reputation? - They do. But for their respective fortes only. I'm a graduate of IIT Roorkee myself, and I am not debunking the contributions of my alma mater. Nor can I generalize anything about the IITs because, simply, I do not know enough. But I do know that the IITs are not the only institutes one "should" aspire to join. Did you notice there is only one IIT mention in that list of 11 for this year? There is a simple reason: IITs might be a glorious place to study, but there are other centers of excellence for research in this country.

(On a related note)

So what's your point? - My point is, "reputations" are built on "popular (herd) opinions" - what makes headlines. And life decisions should be based on facts. 

And if you are an Indian who is even remotely interested in Science, it is worthwhile to know something about the centers of research in India.

Why does this bear any significance in our lives? It is important to know that there is no merit in the argument "Science is not a good career option".

When I was a young child, my interests in Science were often "tested" by questions like - "Oh, so are you going to win the Nobel Prize?" No, I don't think I can ever win the Nobel Prize. I am probably never going to win any public affection. And as for money, well, I will live by comfortable standards but will definitely not erect mansions or buy fancy cars. But I do know that I am in a profession that will reward me for the nobler of my qualities, and to anyone who has suppressed thoughts about venturing into Science, I will reaffirm:

Yes, I am happy I am pursuing a career in Science.



Psst...like such posts?

 

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