दृष्टिकोण – Indra's Viewpoint

It is heartening that both- the Presitden and Prime Minister were associated with this year’s centenary function of India Science Congress, and that shows its importance. I have not heard them full as the digital media do not consider the live coverage necessary for raising its TRPs. However, I went through their speeches on their websites and learnt few things that I shall like share.

“1 Sir Asutosh Mukherjee played an important role in nurturing the Indian Science Congress in the early years.

2. All Nobel Prizes awarded for work from India are somehow linked to the city of Kolkata. Sir Ronald Ross carried out his pioneering research on Malaria in this city for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1902. Sir CV Raman’s remarkable discovery, the Raman Effect, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930, was made here in Kolkata. The legendry Rabindranath Tagore and Mother Teresa were also awarded Noble Prizes for their work carried out in Kolkata.

3. Sir JC Bose is hailed as the first of modern scientists of this country. His original contributions to the invention of radio are well known. The recent discovery of Higgs-boson particle highlights the epoch making contributions of Prof. Satyendra Nath Bose to particle physics.

4. Sir JC Bose, more than a century ago, on 5th March 1885, wrote in his diary “I have been thinking whether the solar energy that is wasted in tropical regions in a new way could be utilized. Of course trees conserve the solar energy. But is there no other way of directly utilizing the radiant energy of the sun?” Even now it is an active area of research pursuit globally. Prof. Satyendra Nath Bose was a powerful communicator and an inspired teacher. He delivered lectures on ‘power’ and ‘nuclear energy’ in a language that lay people could understand.”

Manmohan Singh naturally focused on the performance of his government. However, the target to spend 2% of GDP on R&D first announced in a similar congress in 2003 has been promised again, though with a condition of the participation of the private sector.

“5. We have established five new Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research, eight new Indian Institutes of Technology, sixteen new Central Universities, ten new National Institutes of Technology, six new R&D institutions in the field of biotechnology and five institutions in other branches. The Science, Technology and Innovation Policy 2013 released here today, aspires to position India among the top five global scientific powers by the year 2020.

6. An important step in this direction in the Eleventh Plan was the establishment of the National Science and Engineering Research Board as an autonomous funding body. As pointed out in the Twelfth Plan, this institution proposes to invest in researches of proven track record and establish about 200 to 250 centres based on a grant model with performance reward linkages. http://pmindia.nic.in/speech-details.php?nodeid=1267 ”

Some more interesting data came from the other speakers on the inaugural function.

7. India’s investment in R&D in 2010 was 24.8 billion USD, well below the US (398 billion), Japan (148 billion), China (102 billion), Germany (72 billion), Mexico (56 billion), France (43 billion), and South Korea and the UK (both 41 billion), according to a report commissioned by the department of science and technology

8. India ranks only ninth in the sheer volume of publications in reputed peer-reviewed scientific journals, measured under a global parameter known as the SCI index – behind the US, China, Germany, Japan, the UK, France, Italy and Canada.

9. India’s 154,827 fully trained R&D professionals are almost a tenth of the number that the US and China (1.42 million) boast of, and are fewer than countries like Russia (451,213) and Korea (221,928), apart from the developed west and Japan.

10. The proportion of women leading research projects in various academic institutions has increased from 13 per cent to 31 per cent over the past decade. But women scientists form a mere 15 per cent of full-time research and development professionals in India.” A survey of about 600 women with PhD degrees who had quit research, had taken up jobs not commensurate with their qualifications, were teaching in schools or employed by industry.

11. An important step in this direction in the Eleventh Plan was the establishment of the National Science and Engineering Research Board as an autonomous funding body. As pointed out in the Twelfth Plan, this institution proposes to invest in researches of proven track record and establish about 200 to 250 centres based on a grant model with performance reward linkages.

However, for R&D to be the integral part of human resource development. India will need a total change in the mindsets at all levels. All the stakeholders will have to contribute. The private sector really lags behind even after a good incentive from the government. For most of them, its expenditure of R&D is just managed.

The brave heart, the young woman got brutally beaten and gang-raped in a Delhi bus on December 16 night, and died even after all possible medical care right up to Singapore. Long before this incident, Delhi was already becoming famous as ‘rape capital’, but as usual the administration lives in Kumhkaran Mode and was sleeping. The bill and the action plan against the women assault and rape remained in cold box for years. As usual, the parliamentarians and the government had many different priorities for winning the votes or for getting their own vested interests served.

For the first time, the name of the victim didn’t appear in the media. The incident with the brave heart who has got numerous name in media, Nirvaya, Damini,Anamika, Jyoti, stirred the minds of the younger generations and the massive protests all over the country is continuing demanding a justice for the brave heart and asking for an assurance from the government that similar accident will not get repeated in the future. The government is worried, as this movement is not political, and of a different type without clear-cut leaders who can be managed, almost impromptu and appears to continue for considerable time.

I am ashamed for one another reason too. Globally, the media has given a real bad publicity with this news extensively tarnishing the name of India.

What can be the root cause behind so many rapes in India? Can it be enumerated and action agreed? What can be done to stop it through administrative steps? Can the police force stop this malaise? Can the mindsets of the Indian males be changed through right education? Should not the potential victims be prepared to face the rapist in effective manner? How can parents participate in this? Can the technology be of help? What can be the steps to make a woman safe? The government, again as usual, has set up a task force and one more special high power committee.

Few points that can certainly be considered by the governments at the centre and in the states in its policies:

1. Let the women reservation bill be passed unanimously. The government must convince Lalu and Mulayam for supporting it and take steps to encourage community policing throughout the country.

2. Women must be encouraged to join all types of jobs and also given preference. For examples, let the government encourage the women as bus conductors and also drivers. With a woman conductor in the bus, the situation will be different.

3. The state police must have at least 40 percent women and are given all sorts of tough assignments and made effective.

4. At school level, the physical education must be compulsory and girl children must be encouraged to undergo sufficient training for self defence against criminals and serving the weak in the society.

5. Gender sensitization and value building must be part of the course in school and parents must participate.

6. Social opinion builders must reverse the traditional views of the people starting from killing of female feticide to dowry and torture throughout the life till death. All those involved and accused in cases against women must get social boycott. Persons such as Kanda should be punished with life imprisonment.

What are we doing as a society to reduce inequality of access to sex? I don’t mean publicly provided brothels — though those are not unknown in history — but just the right to a normal conjugal life.

The New Year Day of 2013 will be remembered in history of India for its uniqueness and with difference at least by those who across the country instead of celebrating took part in the protest for the great cause arising out of the death of the brave-heart of Delhi.

And unfortunately while there are protests all over the country the shameful act of rape and molestation of women and girls are going on unabated without any fear. This shows how deep and wide the damage has gone.

The nation must hear the voices of the new class of aggrieved.

एक अंक के परिवर्तन से
साल बदल जाते हैं 
उम्र बदल जाती है
अरमान बदल जाते हैं 
फिर भी क्यों 
हर रोज़ इसी का 
इंतजार करते हैं 
आशा में जीते हैं 
एक स्वप्न लिये हरदम:
नये साल के
सूरज में
कुछ बात नयी होगी 
कुछ रंग नये होंगे  
कुछ ढ़ंग नये होंगे ंं
जीवन सुंदर होगा
कुछ जोश नया होगा
मंजिल करीब होगी 
कुछ आश नयी होगी
विश्वास नया होगा 
कर अभिनंदन इसका
कुछ प्रण लेकर सब हम
उल्लास मनायें हम
बिश्वास जगाये हम
तम दूर भगायें हम 
नव देश बनायें हम
नव वर्ष मनायें हम

निर्भया की आखिरी ख्वाहिश

‘मां, मैं जीना चाहती हूँ’
हरपल उन गिधों की 
उन दो घंटों की यातना
कैसे भूल पाउँगी
जब समय सदियों में
बदल गया था
पर बिश्ववास करो मां
मैं लड़ी थी अंत तक
काश ! तुमने मुझे बनाया
होता दुर्गा या रणचंडी काली
मुझे भी देवताओं ने 
दिये होते दस भुजायें
दस घातक अस्त्र
मैं असुरों का अंत कर पाती 
मां, सहा नहीं जाता दर्द
क्षत विक्षत अंग अंग 
मन भी और प्राण भी
मां, गोद में रख लो
मेरा सर, सोउंगी
पर हां असुरों को कहना
उनकी अपनी मां या बहना
हीं बनेंगी काली 
करेंगी अंत सब
असुरों का, और मेरे
भाइयों और बहनों
याद हर पल रखना
मेरी शहादत ।

It is another thing that Manmohan is not a great speaker who can impress or convince Indian crowd. But the more worrying is that perhaps the people don’t trust his appeal and promises. So it is not surprising, if his televised address to the nation remained ineffective. The protesters didn’t shun the agitation, and have been continuing it till date. But why couldn’t he be prompt?

I don’t understand why is Manmohan so insensitive or so late in responding every time a crisis comes. It happened in all the dealings, be it with Anna or Ramdev, or for that matter in handling the last year riots between Bodos and migrants in Assam, even though Assam must be special to him, as it is his constituency. It again happened in the chaos created by his policy announcement on the price rise of diesel and FDI in multi-brand retails. For many days, the parliament didn’t do any business. Is he personally responsible for it or the responsibilities lie somewhere else, may be with his officers who advise him? But can he be excused for these lapses?

Naturally the next question is something like this. Does Manmohan wait till Sonia Gandhi clears his plan of action or tells him? Does Sonia also wait for Ahmed Patel or Rahul-Priyanka to clear the decisions on actions?

Who stops Manmohan to take opposition or other parties in confidence? In the present crisis too, the heaven would not have fallen, if he would have called an all party meeting or a special session of parliament. If he has failed to create an informal channel of communication with opposition, how can he make them agree on many important issues facing the country? Is it again the wish of Sonia Gandhi? If the answer is yes then naturally one can’t blame Manmohan. But is he to wait for Sonia to decide to resign or retire too? Is Manmohan also like Sachin unable to make up his mind about retiring for creating some bigger record?

Being a technocrat and so much learned, Manmohan would have been above the ego for the interest of the country. Manmohan is also failing in deciding on the top priorities of the nation.

It would have been really a great thing, if he would have called an all party meet about the nation’s present financial crisis and the way out. Could not he convince and won over all the political parties to have a list of agreeable actions that could overcome the present financial crisis, be it of growth, or fiscal deficit or even the gold import control, or at least the most important of all, the land acquisition and environmental issues that are holding up few lakh crores worth of projects that could have pushed the growth rate. Why will not all agree for at least some of the actions such as land acquisition or education related issues?

Why should the persons in different parties be treated as untouchables and so arrogantly? As we learn in management schools, in present scenario, the participative management is the best. Let Sonia, Manmohan and his ministers not be arrogant and inaccessible. Otherwise as it appears with the protesters continuing for a cause so long, India may see troublesome days ahead, as may African countries are famous for.

इंटर और इंजीनियरिंग के प्रवेश की परीक्षाओं के बाद मैं गांव चला गया था, खड़गपुर का साक्षात्कार के बुलावे का पत्र बिरलापुर और पिपरा में घूम रहा था ।मैं दादाजी के साथ एक अंदाज पर ही बिना उस पत्र के ही खड़गपुर गया, अपनी समस्या बताइ, लिस्ट में मेरा नाम था, साक्षात्कार में प्रश्न साधारण ही थे । प्रो० राजेंद्र मिस्रा भी थे, पूछा ‘खेतिहर हो, कृषि इंजीनियरीगं ले लो’ ।मैंने मेकानिकल इंजीनियरिंग की इच्छा जाहिर की, शाम तक पता चल गया कि मैं ‘लोहा लकड़’ का इंजीनियर बन रहा हूँ, और दादाजी बहुत खुश थे, उनके चेहरे पर एक गर्व भरा भाव था । इसी समय मेरी जाना-पहचान ब्रज भूषन पांडे से हुइ थीं, वे आरा के पास के एक गांव के थे, और उनके पिताजी भी प्राध्यापक थे उस समय सासाराम के टीचर्स ट्रेनिंग स्कूल में । वह दोस्ती आजतक चल रही है । पांडेजी पिछले महीने तक IIT, Kharagpur में ही थे ।’पिता भी अध्यापक बेटा भी’, ब्रज ही बताये थे अपने गांववालों का कहना ।

सबसे पहली याद एक परीक्षा पास कर एक छात्रबृति पाने की आती है। दूसरी याद खाने की तकलीफ की है जिसका ज़िक्र कर चुका हूँ पहले ।  मैं आजाद हाल में था । वार्डेन मुथाना थे, काफी सख्त पर प्यारा सा ब्यक्तित्व था उनका, पर हिन्दी में बोलने संकोच करते थे । रैगिंग हुइ थी, पर कुछ खास नहीं ।यहीं कैलाश नारायणे सिंह से दोस्ती हुइ, जो व्हुत गहरी हो गयी और आजतक चल रही है । सपरिवार रुद्रपुर के पास किछा में हैं ।कैलाश के चलते प्रो० जसवंत सिंह से भी परिचय हुआ ।वे हिंद मोटर्स में भी आये । अभी भी उनकी मां का चेहरा याद आता है और उनकी खातिरदारी भी, गर्म दूध के गलास की ।सिंह अपने वासस्थान में भैंस भी रखते थे ।उनकी मां का चेहरा मुझे हरदम मेरी अपनी परदादियों की याद दिलाता था ।

रैगिंग से बचने के लिये कभी कभी राजेंद्र प्रसाद हाल चला जाता था, वहाँ बिरलापूर विद्यालय के मेरे एक सीनियर रहते थे और मेरा बहुत ख़्याल रखते थे । प्रथम बर्ष के जिस सेक्सन में था उसमें कुछ अन्यविभागों के छात्र भी थे ।वहीं श्रीकांत से परिचय हुआ, वह माइनिंग में था और उसके मामा भी सासाराम में वकील थे ।
आजाद हाल में मैं केवल पहले साल रहा, इस बीच वहाँ राष्ट्रीय अध्यापक प्रसिद्ध वैज्ञानिक सत्येन्द्र नाथ बोस दो बार और भाषण दिये, बातें भी की ।हॉल में बराबर कुछ न कुछ समारोह होते रहते थे, कितनी बिबिध प्रतिभा थी देश के बिभिन्न क्षेत्र से आये लड़कों में ।मुझमें एेसा कुछ नहीं था ।आजाद हॉल से कॉलेज काफी दूर था, करीब़ सभी सायकिल रखते थे , मेरे दादाजी ने बिरलापुर से घर की हिंद सायकिल भिजवा दी थी । जहां तक मुझे याद है दाम शायद सौ रुपये के क़रीब था । हां, उन दिनों देश की सबसे अच्छी सायकिल ‘सेन रैले’ थी जो बंगाल के आसनसोल में बनती थी ।

पहले साल में इंजीनियरिंग का शायद ही कोइ बिषय पढ़ाया गया । हां, physics के अध्यापक गोखले के open book परीक्षा की याद अभी तक है ।परीक्षा कक्ष में जितनी मर्जी हो किताबों और नोट्स ले जाने की छूट थी । जिनके पास जितना उपलब्ध था, ले गये बिशेषकर जो B.Sc, M.Sc कर आये थे । पर कुछ काम नहीं आया ।सभी को शिकायत थी प्रश्न पत्र के दुरुह होने का । परीक्षा के बाद कक्षा में डा० गोखले आये ।बिना कुछ कहे प्रश्नों का हल बोर्ड पर लिखने लगे । करीब दस मिनट लगा होगा । और उन्होने पूछा, ‘क्या सच में उतर कठिन थे?’ अब सबके शरमाने की बारी थी ।बाद में पता चला वे MIT, USA में चले गये थे ।पहला साल अच्छा नही रहा, छात्र बृति जाती रही । काफी दुख हुआ , हां तबतक नानाजी खर्चा देने लगे थे । IIT में मेरे समय न कोइ किताब पाठ्य पुस्तक की तरह होती थी, न लिखित में विषय की जानकारी । अध्यापक खुद विषय के पाठ्य वस्तु का चुनाव करते थे, और पढ़ाते थे ।  IIT पुस्तकालय बहुत समृद्ध था, पर बहुत कोशिश के बावजूद शिक्षक  के पढाइ वस्तु पर कुछ ज़्यादा नहीं मिलता था ।गनीमत इतना ही था कि परीक्षा के प्रश्न पत्र भी वे ही शिक्षक सेट करते थे और जांच भी उन्ही के द्वारा होती थी, अतः शिक्षकों को प्रसन्न रखना जरूरी पड़ता था ।मुझे यह तरीका कभी नहीं भाया । दूसरे साल में मैं राजेंद्र प्रसाद हाल में चला आया और तीन साल यहीं काटे । प्रो० राजेंद्र मिश्र वार्डेन थे । प्रोडक्सन इंजीनियरिंग के हेड थे और काफी सम्मानित थे कैम्पस में । उन्होने मेकानिकल इंजीनियरिंग का हेड बनना इस लिये मना कर दिया क्योंकि उसी साल प्रो० बेलगाँवकर बिभाग में आये थे, वे प्रो० मिश्र के आध्यापक रह चुके थे BHU के इंजीनियरिंग कॉलेज में ।यह था उस जमाने का सम्मान देने का तरीका ।

दादाजी बराबर आते रहते थे, यद्यपि उनकी तकलीफ का ख़्याल कर मैं बराबर उन्हे मना करता था । रात में लौटते वक्त उन्हे बहुत बार प्लेटफार्म के बेंच पर बिताना पड़ता था उलुबेरिया में क्योंकि हुगली पार कर बिरलापुर जाना पड़ता था और उतनी रात को नाव वाले नहीं मिलते थे ।
अग्गे फिर—-