Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday announced that a special session would be held in Kolkata for young scientists on the occasion of centenary celebration of the Indian Science Congress. Dr Singh said that as the state had produced India’s brightest and best scientists over the decades, the centenary celebration of Indian Science Congress in Kolkata held special significance.
Speaking at the inception ceremony as the general president of the Indian Science Congress Association, Dr Singh said, “It is entirely befitting that we are in the hallowed portals of the University of Calcutta to celebrate the centenary. It was here that the Indian Science Congress Association took roots under the leadership of Shri Ashutosh Mukherjee. In many senses, modern science in India was nurtured in this city. I congratulate the city of Kolkata for nourishing an environment of learning and producing some of the country’s outstanding scientists, mathematicians and economists, including many of our Nobel laureates.”
The Prime Minister also proposed that the technical programmes of the Indian Science Congress which was scheduled to be held in Kolkata in January 2013 would begin with special lecture in honour of Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee, who personified the national science movement that took shape a century ago.
Dr Singh announced: “We will bring out a well-researched publication on 100 high impact-making discoveries in Indian science during the last 100 years. We will also launch a ‘hall of fame’ in cyberspace to portray globally the contribution of Indian science. There has been some discussion on the setting up of a science academy for the young during the centenary year. At the Congress in Kolkata 2013, outstanding Indian scientists under the age of 45 will be invited to deliver lectures to the youth focusing on the need to attract them towards science,” he added.
Meanwhile, chief minister Mamata Banerjee urged the Prime Minister to set up more science museums in the city to commemorate the contributions of the scientists from Bengal. She said that scientific development could play a pivotal role in addressing the critical issues such as malnourishment, poverty and health.