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The 1st World
War and the world-wide economic depression caused a setback to scientific
research globally - much more so in India whose scientists found it difficult
even to publish their research work since they had to be almost entirely
dependent on foreign journals. The post World War India also saw the rise of the
freedom movement which incidentally also drew attention to the numerous problems
of the Indian people like poverty, hunger, diseases, recurrent floods, droughts,
famines etc. Patriotic scientists felt deeply concerned with these.
It was in
this background that the idea of establishing a forum for scientists, which
would bring them together to discuss and find scientific solutions to the
problems of the country, was mooted by Prof. Meghnad Saha, a great scientist,
patriot and then Professor of Physics at Allahabad University in 1929. His views
were published in December 1929 issue of the Allahabad University magazine in an
article entitled 'A Plea for an Academy of Sciences'.
Thus, the
National Academy of Sciences, India (initially called “The Academy of Sciences
of United Provinces of Agra and Oudh”) was founded in the year 1930, with the
objectives to provide a national forum for the publication of research work
carried out by Indian scientists and to provide opportunities for exchange of
views among them. The Memorandum of Association was signed by seven
distinguished and patriotic scientists namely Prof. Meghnad Saha, Prof. K.N.
Bahl, Prof. D.R. Bhattacharya, Prof. P.C. MacMohan, Prof. A.C. Banerji, Prof.
Ch. Wali Mohammad and Prof. N.R. Dhar. Of these, the Academy had the good
fortune of having the continued association of Prof. N.R. Dhar until very lately
when he expired on December 5, 1986 at the age of 96 years. Apart from being one
of the founders of the Academy and taking continued interest in its welfare,
Prof. Dhar also donated the piece of land on which the Academy building stands
today.
The Rules and
Regulations of the Academy were based on those of the Royal Society of England
and the Asiatic Society of Bengal. These have since been revised and updated to
meet the emerging challenges. Prof. Meghnad Saha was elected its first
President. In the Inaugural address, Prof. Saha Said : “…..But the main
function of the Academy should be towards cultural improvement by contribution
to human knowledge”. Since then, the Academy has crossed many milestones,
successfully serving the “Science & Society”. In its Silver Jubilee Session in
1955, Prof. Saha, further emphasized the role of the Academies in developing
human scientific resources. Similarly, during the Golden Jubilee Session of the
Academy in 1980, Shrimati Indira Gandhi, Prime Minster of India stressed that
the need of hour was to ensure that science does not remain confined to
laboratories. The address delivered by His Excellency Sri Venkataraman,
President of India, during the Diamond Jubilee Session (1990-91) was a timely
reminder of the vision of late Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru to integrate science with
the lives of the people; and the Academy left no stone unturned in pursuing its
aim and objectives, which was appreciated by His Excellency Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam,
President of India, in his address during the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations of
the Academy in 2005. Dr. Kalam praised the role of the Academy in boosting the
zeal of the budding scientists, who could do better in future with such support
and endeavour.
The Academy
undertakes several “science-society” programs under the guidance of its
Presidents and Fellows. As its Past Presidents, very distinguished scientists
like Prof. M.S. Swaminathan, Prof. Manju Sharma, Prof. P.N. Tandon, Prof. S.K.
Joshi, Prof. Jai Pal Mittal, Prof. V.P. Kamboj, Prof. Ashok Misra, Prof. A.K.
Sharma, Prof. Asis Datta and Dr. K. Kasturirangan are keenly associated with the
Academy and enormously contributing to its development. It is worth
mentioning that a few other Past Presidents (unfortunately who are not with
us), as Prof. M.G.K. Menon, Dr. V.P. Sharma, Dr. T.N. Khoshoo, Prof. U.S.
Srivastava, Dr. A.P. Mitra and Dr. S.Z. Qasim also contributed a lot to the
development of science in general and the Academy in particular, in the recent
past.
The Academy
while starting with 57 ordinary Members and 19 Fellows, has now 1755 Members and
1777 Fellows from all parts of the country; including 16 Honorary Fellows and 97
Foreign Fellows from various disciplines of Science and Technology. The Academy
is financially supported by the Department of Science & Technology, Ministry of
Science & Technology, Govt. of India; and it is also recognized as the
Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation by the DSIR, Govt. of India.
NASI -
envisions the cultivation and promotion of Science & Technology in all its
branches through –
(a)
promoting scientific and technological research related to the problems of
societal welfare;
(b)
publication of proceedings, journals, memoirs, transactions and other works as
may be considered desirable;
(c)
organising meetings and hold discussions on scientific and technological
problems;
(d)
undertaking, through properly constituted committees and bodies, the scientific
work(s) of technological or public importance.
(e)
co-operating with other organizations in India and abroad, having similar
objects, and to appoint representatives of the Academy to act on national and
international bodies;
(f)
securing and managing funds and endowments for the promotion of science and
technology;
(g)
organising a Science Library;
(h)
performing all other acts, matters and things that may assist in, conduce to, or
be necessary for the fulfillment of the above mentioned aims and objects of the
Academy;
(i)
creating an adequate impact of the Academy all over the country, by opening
Chapters of the Academy in other cities in the country, where reasonable number
of Fellows and Members are available.
(II)
Council 2018
President
1.
Prof. Anil Kakodkar, DSc(hc),
FNASc, FASc, FNAE, FIE, Formerly Chairman, AEC & Secretary, DAE, GOI; DAE Homi
Bhabha Chair Professor & Member AEC, BARC, Trombay, Mumbai – 400085
Past Presidents
2.
Prof. Akhilesh K. Tyagi,
PhD, FNASc, FASc, FNA, FNAAS, FTWAS, Formerly Director, NIPGR; Department of
Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi - 110021
3.
Prof. Asis Datta, PhD,
DSc, FNASc, FASc, FNA, FTWAS, Formerly Vice-Chancellor, JNU & Founder Director,
National Institute of Plant Genome Research, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi –
110067.
Vice-Presidents
4.
Prof. Rohini Madhusudan Godbole, PhD(SUNY),
DLitt, FNASc, FASc, FNA, FTWAS, Professor, Centre for High Energy Physics,
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore - 560012
5.
Prof. Pramod Tandon, PhD,
FNASc, FBS, Formerly Vice-Chancellor, NEHU, Shillong; Chief Executive Officer,
Biotech Park, Sector G, Kursi Road, Jankipuram, Lucknow – 226021
Treasurer
6.
Prof. Balakrishnan Ramakrishnan,
PhD, FNASc, Professor-H, Harish Chandra Research Institute, Chhatnag Road, Jhusi,
Allahabad – 211019
Foreign Secretary
7.
Prof. Pramod Kumar Garg, MBBS,
MD, DM, FNASc, FAMS, Professor, Department of Gastroenterology, All India
Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi - 110029
General Secretaries
8.
Prof. Paramjit Khurana, PhD,
FNASc, FASc, FNA, FNAAS, FTWAS, JC Bose National Fellow, Professor, Department
of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi South Campus, Benito Juarez
Road, Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi - 110021
9.
Prof. Satya Deo, PhD
(Arkansas, USA), FNASc, Formerly Vice Chancellor, APS University, Rewa, MP; Hony.
Scientist, Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Chhatnag Road, Jhusi, Allahabad -
211019
Members
10.
Prof. Madhoolika Agrawal, PhD,
FNASc, FNAAS, Professor, Department of Botany, Banaras Hindu University,
Varanasi – 221005
11.
Prof. Jayesh Ramesh Bellare, PhD,
FNASc, FNAE, Institute Chair Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering,
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai- 400076
12.
Prof. Balram Bhargava, MBBS,
MD, DM, FNASc, FACC, FAHA, FAMS, Professor, Cardiothoracic Sciences Centre,
Executive Director, Stanford India Biodesign Centre, Department of Cardiology,
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi - 110029
13.
Dr. Subhra Chakraborty, PhD,
FNASc, FASc, FNAAS, Staff Scientist VII, National Institute of Plant Genome
Research, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi - 110067
14.
Dr. Sugeerappa Laxmanappa Hoti, PhD,
FNASc, FISP, Scientist G & Director-in-Charge, Regional Medical Research
Centre (ICMR), Nehru Nagar (Opp.KLE Hospital), Belagavi– 590010
15.
Dr. Gyan Chandra Mishra, PhD,
FNASc, FASc, FNA, Senior Scientist, National Centre for Cell Science,
Ganeshkhind, NCCS Complex, Pune-411007
16.
Prof. Jayant Moreshwar Modak, PhD,
FNASc, FNAE, Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of
Science, Bangalore – 560012
17.
Dr. Sankar Kumar Pal, PhD
(Cal.& Lond.), DIC, FNASc, FASc, FNA, FNAE, FIEEE, FTWAS, FIAPR, FIFSA, Raja
Ramanna Fellow, Distinguished Scientist and Former Director, Indian Statistical
Institute, 203, B.T. Road, Kolkata -700108
18.
Prof. Anunay Samanta, PhD,
FNASc, FASc, FNA, Professor, School of Chemistry, University of Hyderabad,
Hyderabad - 500046
19.
Prof. L.S. Shashidhara, PhD
(Cambridge,UK), FNASc, FASc, FNA, Professor & Coordinator (Biology), Indian
Institute of Science Education and Research, 900, NCL Innovation Park, Dr. Homi
Bhabha Road, Pune – 411008
20.
Dr. Dinesh Kumar Srivastava, PhD,
FNASc, FNA, Raja Ramanna Fellow, Former Director & Distinguished Scientist,
Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre, 1/AF, Bidhan Nagar, Kolkata – 700064
21.
Prof. Sampat Kumar Tandon, PhD,
FNASc, FASc, FNA, FGS, FTWAS, Visiting Professor, IISER Bhopal, Bhopal Bypass
Road, Bhauri, Bhopal – 462066
22.
Dr. Anil Kumar Tripathi, PhD,
FNASc, FNA, FNAAS, FRBS, FAMI, Director, CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and
Aromatic Plants, Near Kukrail Picnic Spot, PO CIMAP, Lucknow – 226015
23.
Prof. Anil Kumar Tyagi, PhD,
FNASc, FASc, FNA, Vice-Chancellor, GGS Indraprastha University, Sector 16C,
Dwarka, New Delhi – 110078
DST Secretary’s Nominee –
Prof. Sibaji Raha, Ph.D., FNASc, Former Director, Bose Institute, P-1/12,
CIT Scheme VII-M, Kolkata – 700054
(III)
Activities of NASI (in a nutshell):
The Academy (NASI) organized various activities under the presidentship of
Professor Anil Kakodkar, former Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission of India,
during the year 2018. The Past Presidents, namely Professor M.S. Swaminathan,
Professor (Mrs.) Manju Sharma, Professor S.K. Joshi, Professor Ashok Misra,
Professor Asis Datta, Dr V. P. Kamboj, Dr. K. Kasturirangan and Prof. Akhilesh
K. Tyagi, also took keen interest in the dissemination of science in general and
the development of Academy, in particular. The noteworthy accomplishments with
the kind cooperation of its Fellows and Members, and major (financial) support
of the DST, New Delhi, are as follows:
Publications
NASI published the Proceedings of NASI (Physical & Biological Sciences
Sections), each in IV parts & Science Letters in VI parts in collaboration
with the Springer India.
A ‘Festschrift’, dedicated to the legendary scientist Professor M.G.K.
Menon, published by NASI and released by the Hon’ble Minister for Science
& Technology, Government of India on August 27, 2016 at New Delhi, was
distributed to several governmental and non-governmental agencies. A copy of the
same was later presented to the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India. The 9
volumes on the History of Science in India were also distributed to the
concerned government and non-government agencies for dissemination of knowledge.
A ‘Vision Document’ on women in science has also been released.
Science Communication Activities
●
The highlights of these activities were Children Science Meet, Summer &
Winter Schools, Vocational Training Programmes, Teachers’ Workshops, Scientific
Writing Contest, Vigyan, Jal & Health Chaupals, Seminars, and celebration of
the National Technology Day, the National Science Day, the Natioal Mathematics
Day and the World Environment Day etc. The Academy also encouraged
the teachers for out-of-the-class science activities by recognizing their talent
and giving away NASI-Science Teacher’s Awards to them.
●
NASI’s 18 Chapters spread across India, organized hundreds of science
communication activities in and around their respective regions throughout the
year. More than 10,000 students and teachers benefitted from these activities.
●
A series of workshops on Scientific Paper Writing have been organized by
the Academy (since 2012) to train the young researchers in the art and ethics of
scientific writing. So far, 14 such workshops have been organized at BHU,
Varanasi; SGPGI, Lucknow; NASI HQs, Allahabad; Udaipur; Mumbai; Dehradun; Pune;
Amrawati; Nainital, Jamshedpur and IIT Guwahati, out of which 3 were organized
during the year 2017-18.
●
Two Science Awareness Programmes (relating to health issues) were
organized for the Army personnel.
S&T Entrepreneurship development
●
Training programs for entrepreneurs
– To inculcate the spirit of entrepreneurship in the youth and in line with the
National Mission Programmes of Skill Development and Start Up India, NASI
organised several programmes at Mohali, Lucknow, Chennai, Madurai, Mumbai,
Jamshedpur and IIT Guwahati. Young, potential candidates interested in
entrepreneurship benefited from these programmes.
●
Awareness and Training
– The programmes were organised on Nutrition, Safe drinking water, Health &
hygiene etc. A mixed participation of rural and urban population was ensured.
This was included as a part of “Swasth Bharat Mission”.
●
Safe drinking water and pollution abatement
- The programmes were organised especially for the rural areas and municipal
workers – This is the part of “Swachh Bharat Mission”.
Science Education Programmes in joint collaboration with National Science
Academies
NASI, together with other two Science Academies - Indian National Science
Academy, New Delhi and Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore jointly sponsors
the Summer Research Fellowship under the joint Science Education Panel to
provide opportunities to bright under-and post-graduate students and teachers to
usefully spend their summer vacations.
Sensitization Programmes for Women Researchers/Scientists
The Academy organized 25 workshops on Technological Empowerment of Women
in different parts of the country during the last 4 years. More than 12000 women
scientists/researchers were sensitized under this programme. A Vision
Document on women scientists in India, prepared jointly by three National
Science Academies, was also released. Three workshops (out of 25 mentioned
above) were organised during the year 2017-18.
Annual Session/Symposia/Seminars & Scientific Discussions
The Academy organised the 87th Annual Session and Symposium on
‘Basic Research - its role in national development’ at SPPU, Pune on
December 8-10, 2017. More than 500 researchers and scientists participated in
these events. Other seminars/symposia were also organised by NASI.
Fellowship / Membership
To recognize the outstanding scientific contributions of the scientists, the
Academy awards every year the prestigious Fellowships/Memberships to them. More
than 100 scientists working in different areas of Science & Technology
were selected from all across the country in the year 2017. It also awarded a
few Foreign Fellowships to scientists who are working in different countries and
have collaborated with scientists from India.
Singhania Library
Library services were enriched through digitization of the library and
subscribing more books. The library is connected to National Knowledge
Network (NKN); Internet facility is being provided to the students and
research scholars free of cost.
Recognition and Awards-
The following awards were given in the year 2017-18:
NASI-Reliance
Industries Platinum Jubilee Awards for the Application Oriented
Innovations covering both Physical and Biological Sciences to four distinguished
scientists; NASI-Young Scientist Platinum Jubilee Awards to about dozen
young scientists/researchers in the fields of Biological/Physical/ Chemical
Sciences; 11th NASI Scopus Awards to 10 young
scientists/researchers; NASI-Senior Scientist Platinum Jubilee Fellowships;
Professor M. G. K. Menon Memorial Lecture Award was given to
Professor Manju Sharma in the year 2017; NASI – Swarna Jayanti
Puruskars for Best Paper Presentation were given to eight young
scientists/researchers, in the 87th Annual Session; NASI –
Springer Awards for Best Paper Presentation were given to eight young
scientists/researchers, in the Annual Session; Memorial Lecture Awards to
about 13 eminent scientists; NASI – Science and Maths Teacher Awards by
NASI HQ & Chapters to many teachers.
Establishment of River Galleries
Following the establishment of Ganga Gallery in the year 2011 at NASI
Headquarters, Allahabad, the Academy established another river gallery on
Brahmaputra River in Guwahati, Assam in 2015. The work on the third gallery
on River Cauvery has also been completed at Mysuru, Karnataka with
the major support from the Government of Karnataka.
Rejuvenation of Baolies (Step wells) in Bundelkhand area
Under the ‘Safe Water’ programme, the Academy restored 5 step-wells in
Bundelkhand area to assure the availability of safe water to the local
tribals and have-nots of the area. NASI also collaborated with the MP Council of
Science & Technology (MPCOST) with this programme for community schemes.
A Brainstorming on’Safe Water & Sanitation’
was also organised at NASI on September 15-17, 2017.
Nutrition Project in collaboration with ICMR- National Institute of Nutrition (NIN),
Hyderabad
The Academy took up a project against malnutrition in collaboration with the NIN,
Hyderabad at three places- Allahabad, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad. The first phase
of survey/study has been completed at Allahabad and Hyderabad; further extension
of this programme is being planned.
Tribal Welfare Programmes
The Academy undertook several programmes for the welfare of Scheduled Tribes of
different regions of India, e.g. at Jharkhand, Bundelkhand, North-East and other
areas.
Major
and Unique National Facilities created:
The Ganga-gallery (IGNOU, New Delhi has included the gallery in its
syllabus/projects; UP Tourism and Consortium of IITs have also included the
gallery on their websites) and the Brahmaputra gallery have been
dedicated to the nation. The third on Cauvery has also been established
recently at Mysuru. The restoration of Baolies (step wells) is an
important step for assuring safe water supply to the rural population of
Bundelkhand. The library of the Academy is also serving our nation
for more than 87 years.
Important collaborations (national and global) established:
a)
The NASI together with other two Science Academies - Indian
National Science Academy, New Delhi and Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore is
jointly sponsoring the Summer Research Fellowship under the joint Science
Education Panel
b)
Continuing its established collaboration with the Reliance
Industries, SCOPUS and Springer, for recognizing the talent in scientific
research.
c)
Also organized many science communication/ popularisation
activities in collaboration with the Indian Universities/ Institutes/CSIR
Laboratories/ NCSM and other prestigious institutions.. |
