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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 R.
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 President (Prof. G. Padmanaban), Past 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. Asis Datta, Dr. K. Kasturirangan, Prof.
Akhilesh K. Tyagi and Prof. Anil Kakodkar 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 now), as Prof.
M.G.K. Menon, Dr. V.P. Sharma, Prof. A.K. 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 1820
Members and 1856 Fellows from all parts of the country; including 17 Honorary
Fellows and 106 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.
(I)
Council 2020
President
1.
Prof. G. Padmanaban,
PhD, DSc(hc), FNASc, FNA, FASc, FTWAS, Former Director,
Indian Institute of
Science, Bangalore - 560012
Past Presidents
2.
Prof. Anil Kakodkar,
DSc(hc), FNASc, FASc, FNAE, FIE, Formerly Chairman, AEC &
Secretary, DAE, GOI; Chairman, TIFAC & Member AEC, BARC, Trombay, Mumbai –
400085
3.
Prof. S.K. Joshi,
DPhil, DSc(hc), FNASc, FNA, FASc, FTWAS, Mem.Russian
Acad.Sc., Formerly Director General, CSIR & NASI Platinum Jubilee Chair
Distinguished Professor; # 252, National Physical Laboratory, Dr. K.S. Krishnan
Marg, New Delhi-110012
Vice-Presidents
4.
Prof. Jaya S. Tyagi,
NASI-Senior Scientist, Dept. of Biotechnology, All India
Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi - 110029
5.
Prof. Lal Chand Rai,
PhD, FNASc, FNA, FNAAS, DAE Raja Ramanna Fellow & JC Bose
National Fellow, CAS in Botany, Institute of Science, BHU, Varanasi - 221005
Treasurer
6.
Prof. U.C. Srivastava,
Managing Editor- Proceeding of NASI, Formerly Professor of
Department of Zoology, University of Allahabad, Prayagraj – 211002
Foreign Secretary
7.
Prof. P.N. Rangarajan,
PhD, FNASc, FNA, FASc, FAMS, Professor, Department of
Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore - 560012
General Secretaries
8.
Prof. Paramjit Khurana,
PhD, FNASc, FNA, FASc, FNAAS, FTWAS, JC Bose National
Fellow, 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; Honorary Scientist, Harish-Chandra Research Institute,
Chhatnag Road, Jhusi, Allahabad - 211019
Members
10.
Prof. Talat Ahmad,
PhD, FNASc, FNA, FASc, JC Bose National Fellow,
Vice-Chancellor, University of Kashmir, Hazratbal, Srinagar-190006
11.
Prof. Sanghamitra Bandyopadhyay,
Ph.D., FNASc, FNAE, Director, Indian Statistical
Institute, 203, B.T. Road, Kolkata – 700108
12.
Dr. Suchitra Banerjee,
PhD, FNASc, NASI-Senior Scientist, Plant Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Central
Institute of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants, PO - CIMAP, Lucknow – 226015
13.
Prof. Rakesh Bhatnagar,
PhD, FNASc, FNA, FASc, Vice Chancellor, Banaras Hindu
University, Varanasi – 211005
14.
Dr. Swapan K. Ghosh,
PhD, FNASc, FNA, FASc, FTWAS, Distinguished Professor, UM-DAE Centre for
Excellence in Basic Sciences, Health Centre Building, University of Mumbai,
Kalina Campus, Mumbai 400098
15.
Prof. Rama Govindarajan,
PhD, FNASc, FASc, Professor, International Centre for
Theoretical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru – 560089
16.
Dr. A.S. Kiran Kumar,
FNASc, FNAE, FIETE, FAPAS, FIMS, FGSA, FISRS, Former
Chairman, ISRO & Secretary, Department of Space; 485/1, Vyoma, 80 Ft. Road, R.T.
Nagar, Bangalore – 560032
17.
Dr. Smita Dilip Mahale,
Ph.D., FNASc, FNA, Scientist G & Director, National
Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, Jehangir Merwanji Street, Parel,
Mumbai – 400012
18.
Dr. Shailesh Nayak,
Ph.D., DSc(hc), FNASc, FASc, Director, National Institute of
Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science Campus, Bangalore – 560012
19.
Prof. Isan K. Patro,
PhD, FNASc, FIAN, FCINP, Vice-Chancellor, Ravenshaw
University, Cuttack – 753003
20.
Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao,
PhD, FNASc, FIEEE, FNA, FASc, FNAE, FIETE, Director, Indian Institute of
Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi – 110016
21.
Prof. Anil K. Singh,
PhD, FNASc, FASc, Former Professor of Chemistry, Indian
Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, Res:
A-1603, Lake Primrose, Lake Homes, Powai,
Mumbai-400076
22.
Prof. Sanjeev Sinha,
MD(Medicine), FNASc, Professor of Medicine, Department of
Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi –
110029
23.
Prof. Umesh Vasudeo Waghmare,
Ph.D.(Yale), FNASc, FNA, FASc, Professor, Theoretical Sciences Unit, Jawaharlal
Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur, Bangalore – 560064
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 G.
Padmanaban, former Director, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, during
the year 2019-20. 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, Professor J.P. Mittal, Dr. K.
Kasturirangan, Professor Akhilesh K. Tyagi and Prof. Anil Kakodkar also took
keen interest in the dissemination of science in general and the development of
the 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, Sec. A & B, each in IV parts and
National Academy Science Letters in VI parts, in collaboration with the Springer
Nature.
●
National Academy Science Letters received Impact Factor (IF) as 0.331 in
2019 from Thomson Reuters; about 525 papers were received from thirty
countries/regions.
●
PNASI,
Sec. A received Impact Factor (IF) as 0.681 in 2019 from Thomson Reuters; and
about 385 papers were received from twenty five countries/regions.
●
The
PNASI, Sec. B received Cite Score as 0.62 in 2019 from Scopus; and about 425
papers were received from thirty seven countries/regions.
●
Two
special publications were released on 5th Oct. 2019 at New Delhi on
the occasion of the “Closing Ceremony of the Anniversary Celebrations of ‘Ba &
Bapu’ and Prof. Meghnad Saha”. These were the collection of the Lectures
delivered (in the memory of these three great personalities of the world) by the
distinguished persons in different parts of the country.
●
An
important Special Issue on ‘Mathematical Biology’ and a specific book on “Vector
Biology and Control” are under process”.
Science Communication
Activities
●
The
highlights of these activities were Children Science Meet, Summer & Winter
Schools, Teachers’ Training Workshops, Scientific Writing Contest, Vigyan, Jal &
Health Chaupals, Seminars, and celebration of the National Technology
Day, the National Science Day, the National Constitution Day, the National
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 21 Chapters
spread across India, organized hundreds of science communication activities in
and around their respective regions throughout the year. More than 50,000
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, 16 such workshops have been organized at BHU,
Varanasi; SGPGI, Lucknow; NASI HQs, Allahabad; Udaipur; Mumbai; Dehradun; Pune,
Amrawati, Nainital, Rishikesh, and Haryana; out of which 3 were organized
during the year 2019-20.
Activities under Scheduled Tribe Sub-Plan Programmes
An innovative
programme was launched two years back under this head for improving the
socio-economic status of the Scheduled Tribes of about 21 regions of the country
(details are available on www.nasi.nic.in), as for-
·
Bioeconomy for the Scheduled Tribes:
Emphasis has been given on Bioresources and biodiversity development,
conservation and utilization, as well as on Value addition.
·
S&T Interventions:
For ensuring Safe Water and Sanitation, eradicating Malnutrition, Malaria and
other communicable diseases, etc.
·
Data accumulation, analysis and utilization: Specially on the
vast knowledge bank of ethnic medical practices and ethos, as well as the wide
spread biodiversity of the tribal areas.
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 programmes with ‘Hands-on training’ at
Lucknow and Mahendragarh this year. Young, potential candidates
interested in entrepreneurship benefited from these programmes.
●
Awareness and Training
– on Nutrition, Safe drinking water, Health & hygiene etc. A mixed participation
of rural and urban population was ensured. This was included in the spirit of “Swasth
Bharat Mission”.
●
Safe drinking water and pollution abatement - especially for the rural areas and municipal workers. This
was included in the spirit of “Swachh Bharat Mission”. Vth Brain Storming
on Safe Water & Sanitation was organised at MPCOST Bhopal in Sept. 2019; a large
number of scientists, municipal workers, researchers and others attended the
brainstorming sessions.
Sensitization Programmes for Women Researchers/Scientists
The Academy organized 31 workshops on Technological Empowerment of Women
in different parts of the country during the last 5 years. More than 50,000
women scientists/researchers were sensitized under this programme. A Vision
Document-Report on Women in Science in India was also released; and a
Mega Event was held at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi on the auspicious
occasion of International Women’s Day, i.e. on March 8-9, 2018 with Dr
Harsh Vardhan, Hon’ble Minister for Science & Technology, Govt. of India, as the
Chief Guest; and thousands of women scientists, teachers and researchers
from all across the country. The event was addressed by world famous scientists
as Prof. Anil Kakodkar, Prof. M. S. Swaminathan, father of Green Revolution in
India, Prof. K. VijayRaghavan, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of
India, Prof. Manju Sharma (Convener), former Secretary to the Govt. of India, Dr
Renu Swarup, Secretary to the Govt. of India, Department of Biotechnology, Dr
Balram Bhargava, Secretary to the Govt. of India, Department of Health & Family
Welfare, five foreign scientists from different countries and several others.
The ‘Proceedings of the Mega-event including significant recommendations’ has
also been published. Recently, other workshops with more than 350 women
scientists were organized at AIIMS, Rishikesh and NASI, Prayagraj,
respectively on May 25-26, 2018 and March 8-9, 2019.
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/Winter Research Fellowship under the joint Science Education Panel
to provide opportunities to bright UG and PG students and teachers to usefully
spend their summer/winter vacations.
Annual Session/Symposia/Seminars & Scientific Discussions
The 88th Annual Session of NASI and a Symposium on ‘Science,
Technology and Ecosystem for Sustainable Rural Development’, were jointly
organized by Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya (MGCGV) &
Deendayal Research Institute (DRI), Chitrakoot, Satna, M. P. on Dec. 6-8, 2018,
as a part of the celebration of 150th Birth Anniversary of ‘Ba &
Bapu’ and 125th Birth Anniversary of Prof. Meghnad Saha.
Recently on Dec. 21-23, 2019, 89th Annual Session of NASI and
a Symposium on ‘Science and Technology based Entrepreneurship Development’,
was held at NAARM, Hyderabad. More than 600 researchers and
scientists participated in each of these events. Other seminars/symposia
were also organised by NASI, as the Birth Centenary celebration of Prof.
Vikram A. Sarabhai at I.I.Sc., Bangalore on 16th Nov. 2019,
attended by Dr. K. Sivan, Chairman, Space Commission, India; and 4 former
Chairmans of the Sace Commission, as well as several other distinguished
scientists.
Fellowship / Membership
To recognize the outstanding scientific contributions of the scientists, the
Academy awards every year the prestigious Fellowship/Membership to some of them.
More than 100 scientists working in different areas of Science &
Technology were selected from all across the country in the year 2019. 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 2019:
·
NASI-Reliance
Industries Platinum Jubilee Awards for the Application Oriented
Innovations covering both Physical and Biological Sciences to six distinguished
scientists;
·
NASI-Young Scientist Platinum Jubilee Awards to about fifteen young scientists/researchers in the fields
of Biological/Physical/ Chemical Sciences;
·
13th NASI Scopus
Awards to 6 young scientists/researchers;
·
NASI-Senior Scientist Platinum Jubilee Fellowships;
·
Professor M. G. K. Menon Memorial Award (2019) was given to Hon’ble Prof. CNR Rao at I.I.Sc.,
Bangalore on 15th Nov. 2019.
·
NASI – Swarna Jayanti Puruskars for Best Paper
Presentation to four young scientists/researchers, in the 89th Annual
Session;
·
NASI – Springer Awards
for Best Paper Presentation to two young scientists/researchers, in the 89th
Annual Session (started in 2015 in collaboration with the Springer India Pvt.
Ltd.);
·
Memorial Lecture Awards
to about 15 eminent scientists;
·
NASI – Science and Maths Teacher Awards by NASI HQ & Chapters to many teachers.
Handing-over of Brahmaputra Gallery to the Govt. of Assam at
Guwahati, Assam; and establishment of Cauvery Gallery at Mysuru
·
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; which is now being handed over
to the Govt. of Assam; but it will remain as the joint property of NASI and
Assam Govt.
·
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.
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; while the third on river 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 89 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/ IITs & other Institutes/CSIR
Laboratories/DST Institutions/NCSM and other prestigious institutions. |
