Government launches VAJRA scheme to attract Indian scientists abroad

In a bid to bring together the Indian scientists abroad and India-based researchers for conducting joint researches in India, the Department of Science and Technology (DST) on Thursday launched a scheme named "Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty (VAJRA)".

Minister of Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan launched the web portal of VAJRA here and said that the initiative would boost research work and lead to newer, cutting edge technologies, which was India needed.

"Under this scheme, scientists or senior researchers abroad -- of Indian origin or otherwise -- can collaborate with faculties here," the minister said.

He added that under the scheme, foreign researchers would receive endowments at par with those in their own countries.

The endowments for faculties would be USD 15,000 in the first month of residency and USD 10,000, for the remaining months, said Harsh Vardhan, adding that the central government had been stressing upon converting brain-drain into brain-gain.

He said that the broad areas of research like energy, health, advance material and others would be promoted under the scheme.

"Science has no boundaries or different perspectives based on region... it's rather universal. The idea of the scheme is to bring the best of the world to India and conduct research here," said Prof Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology.

--IANS

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