With 3,000 technologies and 6000 clients, and more than 30 per cent contract R&D, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research(CSIR) has made remarkable strides and is poised to play an even greater role nationally and internationally in scientific and industrial leadership," said S A H Abidi, former member, Central Institute of Fisheries Education, and former advisor, Department of Ocean Development, in his CSIR foundation day lecture 'Issues of Indian Science and Technology' at the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) here on Monday. | |
| CSIR's 64th foundation day was celebrated in the CSIR laboratories across the country. |
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| "Science can make economic sense only when we wake up the scientist in an entrepreneur and also the entrepreneur in a scientist," Abidi said. He said that science-business links have been poor in the country and that Indian industry should champion R&D with vigour. |
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| Abidi, in his lecture, lauded IICT's contribution in agro-chemicals, pharmaceuticals and edible oil technology and also their commitment to industry demonstrated through their external cash flow of Rs 20 crore achieved during 2004-05. |
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| One of the greatest challenges will be posed by patents due to India's accession to World Trade Organisation (WTO) and there will have to be a sea change in our ability to manage intellectual property, he said. |
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| J S Yadav, director, IICT, said that IICT held the highest number of patents amongst the CSIR labs in the country and that the earning per scientist at IICT was about Rs 8.5 lakh, higher than the national average of CSIR. |
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| "We at IICT have also developed the first polymer in India that is bio-degradable in collaboration with Reliance industries," Yadav said. |
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| K Sambasiva Rao, member of Parliament, stressed on the need for scientific institutions to evolve out of the bureaucratic style of working that has crept into them and said that budgetary allocation to research and development has been recognised as an important vehicle for growth in the country by the government. |
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