Noted ecologist Madhav Gadgil, known for his work on the conservation of Western Ghats, has passed away in Pune after a brief illness. He was 83.
Union HRD minsiter Kapil Sibal now wants 'one nation, one test' format for admissions to all disciplines.
Former Indian Space Research Organisation chief G Madhavan Nair and three fellow space scientists against whom the government has taken damning action in the controversial Antrix-Devas deal were "thrown out like garbage", said Prof C N R Rao, head of the Scientific Advisory Council to the prime minister.
Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata's dream is to see cars run on water and he has invested $15 million in a start-up firm supporting research in the field, an eminent scientist said.
The government on Tuesday ruled out setting up an IIT in Orissa, saying it has already approved three such institutes in Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan.
The Scientific Advisory Council briefed the PM about the state of science in the country.
Eminent scientist and Bharat Ratna awardee CNR Rao believes that 90 per cent of the universities and higher educational institutions in the country have outdated curriculum, keeping them from making into the top institutes of the world.
'Poor home work, and a subsequent loss of nerve.' 'This sums up the Modi government's current travails, the stall in key sectors, fading momentum, irritability,' points out Shekhar Gupta.
Future of India is tied up with how it invests in education and science, Bharat Ratna awardee and eminent scientist C N R Rao on Sunday said, and voiced concern that the support for the sectors was not as it should be.
In an apparent damage control after his angry outbursts targeting politicians, Bharat Ratna awardee Prof CNR Rao on Monday said he was only signalling that "inadequate" funding of science in the country was an "idiotic" situation.
Professor Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Rao is the third scientist to be awarded the highest civilian award -- Bharat Ratna, a crowning glory of his inexorable list of outstanding achievements.
'Some Indians take the extreme view that everything was known to our ancients, but others go to the opposite extreme and consider everything Indian was superstition and rubbish.' 'Indian science was perhaps more rational than the European science of the time.'
'Some intolerance is there in society. Fortunately, a majority of Indians are tolerant.'
'No PM has said no to anything we have proposed. I am not a politician and I cannot give speeches about things, but a lot of good things have been done in science by previous governments.' 'Under Dr Manmohan Singh, we could do a few important things. I used to meet him once in 6, 8 weeks. He often said, 'Professor Rao, you assume that you have my approval and carry on.' He was shy and decent. He is a real gentleman.' 'Science keeps me going at 80. I feel young.' Professor C N R Rao, the eminent scientist who was honoured with the Bharat Ratna, on the state of science in India.
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