Chennai: Citing the fewer researchers and research publications in India compared to US and China, Professor Anurag Kumar, director of Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore said, “There is a need to substantially increase the scientific output of the country.”
While speaking at the 15th graduation day of university departments of Anna University, he said, “For India’s progress as an advanced technological nation, it is essential to have science-driven innovation, leading to world-class techniques, products and services.”
“As a result of the small population of researchers, certain areas like quantum computing get overlooked and most other areas have a very small number of researchers working on them,” he said adding that India has only 2 lakh researchers and scientists while China is having 15 lakh scientists for an equal population like us and 13 lakh scientists in the US, with a one fourth population of India.
He urged the scientists, engineers and government to have a very long-term vision and tenacity to see it through. “If India can create its own solutions and products, we will be less dependent on imports,” he observed.
“Projections indicate over five years annual electronics consumption will increase to US$400 billion with India having to import $300 billion of electronics, almost five times the bill for oil imports,” he pointed out.
“Over the next 20 years, we will perhaps move to an all-electric economy. Where are the innovations going to come from, in renewable energy, electric vehicles, compact batteries, intelligent electrical power networks and control of anincreasingly interconnected physical world?” he asked.
Anna University Vice-Chancellor M.K. Surappa presided over the graduation day. Totally, 4,352 students from four campuses – College of Engineering Guindy, Madras Institute of Technology, Chrompet, Alagappa College of Technology and School of Architecture and
Planning received their degree certificates at the event. Anna University registrar J.Kumar has welcomed the gathering.
