Science has been integral part of Indian culture, tradition:VP

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Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu today said science and technology havebeen an integral part of Indian culture and tradition and there is scientific rationale behind "what our forefathers have practised" with regard to cow dung and 'tulsi'.

"Shall I tell you one thing... whatever our forefathers have said or done is scientific. Even cow dung you put (on floor) with water and spread in the morning. There is science.Tulsi there is science and it's proven. It is not like blind belief," he said.

Naidu was addressing scientific fraternity of different Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) laboratories at the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), a constituent research laboratory of the CSIR here.

"We have our traditional knowledge. Science and technology have been an integral part of Indian culture and tradition. Some people say culture. Indian philosophy... what is it... All blind belief," Naidu said.

He said ancient India was known for rich scientific contributionsright from the use of zero, precise calculation of eclipses, concept of atom, to "Shushruta Samhita" involving complex surgery and "Charak" explicitly describing diseases, their causes and modes of treatment.

The civilisations of Mohenjo Daro and Harappa are ample proof that ancient India was more advanced than the rest of the world at that time, Naidu said.

"Our Indian weavers used to weave clothes and put them in a matchbox and export. that's the history. So, that means there is inherent knowledge," he said.

"What we need to do is we have to tap it, identify it, encourage it and move on That's why PM introduced skill development and new idioms have come," the vice president said.

Naidu said he had expressed his desire to focus his attention on regularly interacting with researchers and scientists at IIMs, IITs,universities, colleges, to motivate them to work for the country and betterment of the people.

"I am not an expert in science and technology but science is very very important for the betterment of our lives," he said.

"The very purpose of science and research is to search the methods through which you can make peoples' lives more comfortable," the vice-president said.

Research institutes have important role to play for development of the country and not only development but sustainable development is very much required and for that lot of study and research has to be done, he said.

"On many issues whether it is drinking water, energy security, food security, defence security all these are very important and very vital."
"We also need to have state-of-the-art R&D base that will cater to both, the academia and the industry."