Infuse quality manpower in key R&D
 institutions : Prof. M. M. Joshi

            iving  a  motto to scientists
           "India innovates, India leads
           and India excels", Union human resources development minister Murli Manohar Joshi, on 3rd January, 2004, called for infusing quality young manpower into national institutions of higher learning and improving and updating their research and development infrastructure to take the country further on the road to technological excellence. Inaugurating the five-day 91st Indian Science Congress at Panjab University, the minister announced institution of two awards for outstanding contribution in the field of science. The awards, 'Purush Vigyanik' for male scientist and 'Mahila Vigyanik' for female scientist would carry a cash prize of Rs 50,000 each. In his speech he stressed the holistic teaching-learning approach for mental, intellectual and spiritual development of students. He said that education should be for enlightment and peace and we should not get locked into a smaller relationship of education and wealth. Mentioning the challenges of access to education in view of "Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan" (Education for all), Dr. Joshi observed that the national laboratories, universities and other research and development institutions had an aging manpower profile, requiring infusion of quality young manpower. There was also a mismatch between the number of bright students opting for a career in science and national requirements of scientific R&D, he said adding that the R&D infrastructure in these institutions needed to be upgraded and modernised. Expressing concern over the availability of manpower and quality of their training, he said, "If we want to achieve a reasonable level of well-being for all our citizens by removing poverty, illiteracy and diseases, and desire our voice to be 

heard internationally, then it is imperative to have a high level of excellence of scientific and technological skills of human resources." Due to cancellation of Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s visit, Dr. Joshi, before beginning his speech read out specific excerpts from the PM's message, and listed out various initiatives taken by the government in promoting science and technology. Declaration of 2004 as the year of science awareness, PM's slogan of 'Jai Vigyan', and the instituting 'Indian Science Award' for outstanding contribution worth Rs 25 lakh were some of the steps in this direction, he said. Reading out the PM's message, Joshi emphasised India's success in achieving self-reliance in food production and progress in biotechnology. He however, reiterated observation of the Prime Minister on the two emerging distinct features, a strong alliance between science, technology, business and government and attractive opportunities in research and development drawing Indians working in western countries back to India. Prior to his address, Joshi released a road map for the scientists, logo of scientific awareness and a brochure in English and Hindi on the subject. General President of the Indian Science Congress Prof. Asis Datta delivered the presidential address. The inaugural session was also addressed by Union minister of state for science and technology, Bachi Singh Rawat, Haryana governor, Babu Parmanand, Punjab governor and UT administrator, O P Verma, Haryana chief minister, Om Prakash Chautala and Punjab minister of higher education, Harnam Dass Johar. Prof. K. N. Pathak, Vice-Chancellor Panjab University welcomed the delegates to the congress.

DAAD FELLOWSHIPS 
FOR 2004-2005

         long-term  and 15 short-term
         fellowships     have        been
awarded     to    Indian      students
 under the German Academic Exchange Service (GAES/
DAAD) for the academic year 2004-2005. Short-term fellow-
ships are for the candidates who have registered for Ph.D in Indian Universities/Institutions to enable them to collect research materials from Germany for completion of their doctoral thesis. Long-term research fellowship offered are :- Research fellowships for young scholars; Sandwich model fellowship for Ph.D research scholars; and Fellowships for doctorate degree from a German University.
The following candidates from different Universities were selected for these awards during the year 2004-05. LONG-TERM FELLOWSHIP 2004 - 2005 : Ms Preeti Rani Sahu, Assam, Mr. Bijaya Kumar Sahoo, Bangalore, Mr. Soumitra Paul Choudhury, Varanasi, Ms. Meher Jummy Bhoot, Mumbai, Mr. Maqbool Ahmed, Rajasthan, Mr. Hemwati Nandan, Uttaranchal, Mr. Santanu Dey, Bangalore, Ms. Krithiga Thangavelu, Chennai and Ms. Haimanti Biswas, Kolkata.
SHORT-TERM FELLOWSHIP 2004 : Ms. Katre Madhuvanti Vijaykumar, New Delhi, Ms. A. Sajeli Begum, Varanasi, Mr. Anirban Banerjee, Punjab, Mr. Rajesh Kumar Sharma, Varanasi, Mr. Manmohan Singh Shishodia, New Delhi, Mr. D.S. Vinod, Mysore, Ms. Sandhya Shivram Kulkarni, Kolhapur, Mr. Krishnan Srinivasa Raghavan, New Delhi, Mr. Arindam Bhattacharya, Kolkata, Ms. Parvinder Kaur, New Delhi, Ms. Shashi Prabha, Karnal, Mr. Nihar Ranjan Samal, Kolkata, Ms. Amruta Gole Vinayak, Pune, Mr. Shailendra Keshavarao Sonawane, Bhavnagar and Mr. Rajeev Saraswat, Goa.