Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Department of Science & Technology, Dr. Harsh Vardhan calls for a creating a zeal for knowledge to restore the past glory of the country. He called for a scientific India where science will be a part of everybody’s life. The Minister was speaking after giving awards for outstanding contribution in the field for communication of science and technology and promoting science for nation Building for the year 2015 on the occasion of the . He said our scientists should endeavor to find solutions to various unresolved problems still being faced by the country. The Minister recalled the stark conditions in which the Nobel laureate Bharat Ratna Sir Chandrasekara Venkata Raman and Sir Jagdish Chandra Bose had worked to bring glory to the country.
Speaking on the occasion the Secretary Department of Science & Technology Prof. Ashutosh Sharma said the budgetary allocation to the Science & Technology for promoting innovation in the Union Budget has been raised by over 500% indicating the importance that the government is giving to the sector. He said that the theme for this year National Science Day also indicates our seriousness to address the challenges being faced by the country through Science Today’s event was organized to mark celebrations of the National Science Day (NSD) by the National Council for Science & Technology Communication Division (NCSTC) of the Department of Science & Technology. The theme of NSD-2016 is “Make in India: S&T driven Innovations’’.National Science Day is celebrated every year on 28th February to commemorate the discovery of the ‘Raman Effect’, a Nobel Prize winning discovery by Sir C.V. Raman.The Minister presented national awards instituted in 1987 by the NCSTC to stimulate, encourage and recognize outstanding efforts in the area of science popularization and communication for promoting scientific temper in the country. The awardees for 2015 are: Pushpa Gujral Science City, Kapurthala and Dr. Kuldeep Chander Sharma, Udhampur for Outstanding Efforts in Science & Technology Communication. The award consists of Rs. 2,00,000/- (Rupees two lakh), a memento and a citation.
Prof. Shashanka Mohan Bose, Chandigarh, Dr. G. Ganesan, Rajapalayam and Shri R. Sivaraman, Chennai were given the National Award for Outstanding Efforts in Science & Technology Communication through Print Media including Books and Magazines. The award consists of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees one lakh), a memento and a citation. Dr. V. Rajendran, Tiruchengode, Vasundhara Public Charitable Trust, Sindhudurg, Shri Gurmeet Singh, Kapurthala, got the National Award for Outstanding Efforts in Science & Technology Popularization among Children. The award consists of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees one lakh), a memento and a citation. Science & Tech Siri Voluntary Organisation, Warangal got the National Award for Outstanding Efforts in Science & Technology Communication through Innovative and Traditional methods. The award consists of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees one lakh), a memento and a citation. Shri Pallava Bagla, Delhi was given the National Award for Outstanding Efforts in Science & Technology Communication in the Electronic Medium. The award consists of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees one lakh), a memento and a citation. He also gave awards to 12 scientists who were elected as fellows of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS). Dr. Harsha Vardhan said he is very glad that about one third of all scientists who were elected as fellows of TWAS are from India. He complimented them all for making great contributions in their fields..NCSTC acts as a nodal agency to support, catalyze and coordinate celebration of the National Science Day throughout the country in scientific institutions and research laboratories. NCSTC has supports various programmes through grants-in-aid to State S&T Councils & Departments for organization of lectures, quizzes, open houses, etc.