Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India was investing billions of dollars in the research ecosystem. India believed in the power of international collaboration, the PM said.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India was investing billions of dollars in the research ecosystem. India believed in the power of international collaboration, the PM said.
“Over 10 million students are understanding STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) concepts through hands-on experimentation in Atal Tinkering Labs,” he said in his virtual address to the 18th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics in Mumbai.
“This is creating a culture of learning and innovation. To make access to knowledge more democratic, we have launched 'One Nation One Subscription' scheme. It provides access to reputed international journals free of cost to millions of students and researchers,” Modi said, according to PTI.
He noted that India had one of the world's highest astronomical observatories in Ladakh. At 4,500 metres above sea level, “it is close enough to shake hands with the stars,” he said and added that India was the first to successfully land near the Moon's south pole.
“Under various initiatives, billions of dollars are being invested in the research ecosystem. We invited young minds like you from across the world to study, research and collaborate in India. Who knows, the next big scientific breakthrough may well be born from such partnerships,: he said.
The International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) is an annual competition in astronomy and astrophysics for secondary school students. The 18th IOAA is being held at Mumbai from August 11 to 21. The event is organised by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, a national centre of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, an autonomous institution under the umbrella of the Department of Atomic Energy, as well as a Deemed University.
