Young scientists must take India to technological supremacy: President

India can only advance through technological advancements and the onus is on its young scientists to take the country to supremacy in this sector, President Pranab Mukherjee said Friday.

"India is at the threshold of being a global power. We are poised to play a bigger role in the world. It is our status as a technology power that will define this new role," Mukherjee said at the Fifth Indian Youth Science Congress held here.

"We have to graduate to becoming an exporter rather than an importer of technology. The onus is on our young scientists to take our country forward in this great march to the pinnacle of technological supremacy," he said.

The president said in spite of the country's impressive technological and economic progress, poverty and malnutrition are still widespread.

"Greater technological advances are necessary to achieve quantum jump in food production. A second green revolution should be ushered in to take care of the needs of our growing population," he said.

He called upon young scientists to work hard to unravel the truth to overcome the problems of hunger, poverty, illiteracy and ill health.

Mukherjee said technological developments in some fields are not widely accepted by the public due to perceived risks associated with them.

"Our scientists have a duty to engage with the people at large to explain to them and remove any misconceptions," he added.