APJ Kalam In Kongu Nadu Arts Collage
Former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam having a look at an album containing his photographs presented by a student at the inauguration of the Coimbatore Chapter of Indian Science Congress Association at the Kongunadu Arts and Science College in Coimbatore on Saturday. Executive Committee Member of the chapter M. Aruchami (third left) is in the picture. While calling for integrated efforts of scientists through the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) for promotion of scientific culture in the region, former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam asserted that networking young scientific minds and motivating school students to undertake careers in science was the need of the hour.Inauguration of the Coimbatore Chapter of Indian Science Congress Association at the Kongunadu Arts and Science College in Coimbatore on Saturday.
Inaugurating the Coimbatore Chapter of the ISCA at the Kongunadu Arts and Science College, Mr. Kalam urged the senior scientists to motivate and encourage juniors. It was not only first row scientists who contributed to great scientific achievements; there were many others who remained unsung. “I have never witnessed junior scientists being greeted and appreciated for their achievements in our country. If we aspire to achieve greater things in life, we need to have scientific magnanimity to appreciate our young achievers. Scientific magnanimity will motivate the scientific community and nurture team spirit.”
He sought the attention of the members of the ISCA towards certain scientific challenges that needed to be addressed to solve societal problems. “Increasing the solar photovoltaic cell efficiency from 15 per cent to 45 per cent using silicon as a base with carbon nano tube is an important research challenge in the energy sector. India has to go in for nuclear power generation using thorium based reactors.
The national programme on proteomics should be given thrust with the co-operation of the international scientific community,” Mr. Kalam said, listing out the challenges. The other challenges included developing an integrated vaccine to prevent HIV / AIDS, pursuing stem cell research and earthquake forecast research on a mission mode and improving the monsoon prediction system.
Urging the members of the ISCA to work on the above challenges, he said: “They can create a website and enable connection of all minds in the region. The office bearers should allot a specific topic of research to individual members through the website. This will generate many innovative ideas.”
He also exhorted them to visit schools and address Plus One and Plus Two students on the beauty and thrills of science to influence the young minds to take up science as a career. M. Aruchami, Executive Committee Member, Coimbatore Chapter of ISCA, said the chapter would address the alarming decline in the study of basic sciences, strive to increase the research capacity and research department in the Bharathiar University and its affiliated colleges. “It will also help connect the scientific community in colleges and universities here with their counterparts in those in other parts of the country.”Association president R. Ramamurthi and General Secretary Ashok K. Saxena spoke.
