Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Vaishwik Bharatiya Vaigyanik(VAIBHAV) Summit on Friday through a virtual conference. The summit was of the motive that researchers from India and abroad come under same umbrella to debate upon mechanism to strengthen academic and a Science and Technology(S&T) in India for global beneficiary.
“The aim of the summit is to bring Indian-origin luminaries in academic institutes and research organisations across the world and resident counterparts on a single platform to debate upon collaboration mechanisms to strengthen academic and science and technology (S&T) base in India for global development,’’ a statement from the Prime Minister’s office said.
Addressing the conference, PM Modi expressed gratitude towards scientists who offered their brilliant suggestions.
He said, “I would like to thank the scientists who offered their suggestions and ideas today. You have brilliantly covered many subjects. Most of you highlighted the importance of greater collaboration between Indian academic & research ecosystem with their foreign counterparts.”
“We want top-class scientific research to help our farmers. Our agricultural research scientists have worked hard to ramp up our production of pulses. Today, we import only a very small fraction of our pulses. Our food-grain production has hit a record high,” said the Prime Minister.
PM Modi also talked about the importance of attracting youth’s interest in Science. “The need of the hour is to ensure more youngsters develop an interest in science. For that, we must get well-versed with the science of history and the history of science.”
He also mentioned India’s progress in developing indigenous vaccines. “In 2014, four new vaccines were introduced in our immunisation programme. This included an indigenously developed Rotavirus vaccine. We encourage indigenous vaccine production,” PM Modi said.
The initiative involved multiple level of interactions among overseas experts and their Indian counterparts. More than 3,000 overseas Indian origin academicians and scientists from 55 countries and more than 10,000 resident academicians and scientists took part in the summit.
