Senior scientists of the city are of the view that Bangalore is gradually turning into the science capital of India as the city has witnessed the emergence of several research institutes, biotech companies, laboratories, medical research initiatives and corporate hospitals during the last couple of years.
They are of the opinion that from the tag of IT capital of the country, Bangalore is slowing becoming the science capital of India. The research institutes, laboratories, medical research initiatives and success of pharma and biotechnology companies have led the city to be recognized as the science capital of the country, experts said.
According to Prof G Padmanabhan, scientist emeritus and former director Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore has the scientific aura. The Indian Institute of Science, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Defence Research and Development Organization, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Sanjay Gandhi Orthopaedic Research Centre and Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases are some of the institutions where research activities are being undertaken.
Agreeing to the fact that Bangalore is the science capital, Prof.CNR Rao, Linus Pauling Research Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) stated that in order to preserve its position as a science centre, India needs to step up its contribution to the world of science. This year, India's contribution to the world of science in terms of PhDs, research papers and university contributions is only 2.7 per cent. The quality did not make up for the dwindling quantity either. For instance, out of the top one per cent of papers published, only 0.5 per cent comes from India, he said.
Prof Rao added that the much lauded resurgence of the Asia in the area of science owes is because of South Korea, Singapore and China and not India. Citing one of the reasons for this being the slow death of universities that are being starved of resources, he said. "Three decades ago universities produced 60 per cent of the country's research and now the only contribution is 10 per cent.
The number of PhDs awarded in 2006 in India is abysmal 4,000 which was exactly the same number 25 years ago, whereas in China within a span of 25 years the number went up from 500 to 16,000. He also added that Chinese research papers were also flooding reputed international journals.
On a wishful note Prof Rao added that science has nothing to do with the government and the research grants. It is more about fulfilling the creative urge. Some of his most outstanding teachers were underpaid, but that never came in the way of their commitment to the discipline. The most important task on hand by the research institutes is that science should be taken to the rural areas. There is also a growing concern over the shortage of teachers for basic sciences and Bangalore can do a lot to more to organize a seminar which is a critical component to keen the interest alive, he added.