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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 in 1929 by Prof. Meghnad Saha, a great scientist,
patriot and then Professor of Physics at Allahabad University. 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. 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, Dr. S.Z. Qasim and Prof. S.K. Joshi, 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 also recognized as the Professional Body of the DST and SIRO of the
DSIR, Ministry of Science & Technology, 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 2021
President
1.
Prof. Ajoy Kumar Ghatak,
PhD(Cornell), FNASc, Formerly
Professor
of Physics at IIT Delhi; Res. D-42, Hauz
Khas, New Delhi-110016
Past
Presidents
2.
Prof. G. Padmanaban,
PhD, DSc(hc), FNASc, FNA, FASc,
FTWAS, Former Director, Indian Institute of
Science, Bangalore – 560012
3.
Prof. Ved Prakash Kamboj,
PhD, DSc, FNASc, FNA, Mem
NYASc, Formerly Director, CDRI, Lucknow; Chairman,
Board of Directors, Biotech Consortium India Ltd., New Delhi; Res. C-1111,
Indira Nagar, Lucknow - 226016;
Vice-Presidents
4.
Prof. Anurag Sharma,
PhD, FNASc, FNA, FASc, FNAE,
Professor, Department of
Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi - 110016;
5.
Dr.
Saroj Kanta Barik, PhD,
FNASc, FNAAS, Director, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap
Marg, Lucknow - 226001
Treasurer
6.
Prof. U.C. Srivastava,
D.Phil., Doctor of Neurophysiology
(Pisa), FNASc, FIAN, Formerly
Emeritus Professor, Department of Zoology, University of Allahabad, Prayagraj –
211002
Foreign Secretary
7.
Dr. Amit Prakash Sharma,
PhD(Northwestern, USA),
FNASc, FNA, FASc, FTWAS, Director, ICMR-National
Institute of Malaria Research, Sector 8, Dwarka, New Delhi - 110077
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, Prayagraj - 211019
Members
10.
Prof. Talat Ahmad,
PhD, FNASc, FNA, FASc, JC Bose
National Fellow, Vice-Chancellor, University of Kashmir, Hazratbal,
Srinagar-190006
11.
Prof. Rakesh Bhatnagar,
PhD, FNASc, FNA, FASc, Vice
Chancellor, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi – 221005
12.
Prof. Rama Govindarajan,
PhD, FNASc, FASc, Professor,
International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental
Research, Bengaluru – 560089
13.
Prof. Ravindra Shripad
Kulkarni, PhD, FNASc, Bhaskaracharya
Pratishthan, 56/14, Erandavane, Damle Path, Off Law College Road, Pune - 411004
14.
Prof. Bhaskaran Pillai Mohan
Kumar, PhD, FNASc, FNAAS, FNIE, FAS, Vice-Chancellor, Arunachal University of Studies (AUS), NH-52,
Knowledge City, Namsai, AP - 792103
15.
Dr. Ajay Kumar Parida,
PhD, FNASc, Director, Institute of
Life
Sciences (DBT, GOI), NALCO Square,
Chandrasekarpur, Bhubaneswar-751023
16.
Prof. Isan K. Patro,
PhD, FNASc, FIAN, FCINP,
Formerly
Vice-Chancellor, Ravenshaw University,
Cuttack – 753003
17.
Prof. Prasun Kumar Roy,
MBBS, PhD, FNASc, Professor,
Computational
Neuroscience
& Neuroimaging Lab, School of Biomed. Engg.,
IIT (BHU), Varanasi – 221005
18.
Prof. Anil K. Singh,
PhD, FNASc, FASc, Former Professor
of Chemistry,
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai.
19.
Prof. Sanjeev Sinha,
MD(Medicine), FNASc, Professor of
Medicine, Department of Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi – 110029
20.
Dr. Renu Swarup,
PhD, FNASc, Secretary to the Govt. of India, Department of Biotechnology,
Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt. of India, Block 2, CGO Complex, Lodhi
Road, New Delhi - 110003
21.
Dr. Prabodh Kumar Trivedi,
PhD, FNASc, FMASc,
FNAAS,
Director, CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow
-226015
22.
Prof. Hriday Narain Verma,
PhD, FNASc, FBS, FPSI,
FISEB, Vice-Chancellor, Jaipur National University,
Jagatpura, Jaipur – 302017
23.
Dr.
Sandeep Verma, PhD(Illinois),
FNASc, FNA, FASc, FRSC, Secretary, Science and Engineering Research Board
(SERB), New Delhi; JC Bose National Fellow, 5 & 5A, Lower Ground Floor, Vasant
Square Mall, Sector-B, Pocket-5, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi - 110070;
and a Nominee of the Secretary,
DST, GoI
(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 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 book on “Vector
Biology
and Control” was also published in 2020.
Science Education/Communication Activities:
NASI-HQ and it’s 22 Chapters spread across India, are organising several science
education/communication activities (presently
on WEB) in and around their
respective regions. More than two dozen Institutes/Laboratories/Educational
Institutions (as IITs, NCSM, Medical Colleges, Universities, CBSE, DNA Clubs
etc.) are associated with NASI in organising these programmes. It is expected
that more than one lac students and teachers would be benefitted from these
activities/webinars focused on ‘Poshan (Nutrition)’, COVID Appropriate
behaviour, Entrepreneurship development for Atmanirbhar Bharat (in
consonance with the recent national programmes announced by the Hon’ble Prime
Minister of India), and so.
Activities under Joint Women Panel of three National Science Academies:
NASI is heading this joint panel of three National Science Academies under the
leadership of Prof. Manju Sharma, Past President, NASI & former Secretary to the
GoI. A Mega Event (graced by the Hon’ble Minister for Sc. & Tech., GoI; Prof.
Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, DST; Prof. M
S
Swaminathan, Prof. Anil Kakodkar and
about 1000 women scientists) was organised in 2018 after successfully organising
several programmes in about 17 states of our country for the welfare of women
scientists and the rural women by the scientific intervention. The programme is
going on with full vigour and hopefully 3-4 national workshops will be organised
in the year 2021.
Research Projects being undertaken by the NASI-Chairs & Senior Scientists:
NASI has undertaken several important research works/projects led by its
Distinguished Chairs and the Senior/Hony. Scientists (as Prof. G. Padmanaban,
former Director, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore; Prof. V. M. Katoch,
former DG, ICMR; Prof. Ashok Misra, former Director, IIT
Bombay, Prof. Amit
Ghosh, former Director, CSIR-IMTECH; Prof. Satya Deo, former Vice-Chancellor &
Emeritus Scientist, HRI, and many others), aimed towards the development of
science in general and the society, in particular. Due to their noteworthy
contributions, the NASI has been recognised as SIRO by the DSIR, Ministry of
Science & Technology, GoI. The detailed reports have been sent to the DST (as a
part of the Annual Reports of NASI); and also available on the website of NASI-
www.nasi.nic.in
Activities under Scheduled Tribe Sub-Plan Programmes:
A Mega Event on the ‘Science & Technology Intervention for the Tribal Welfare’
was held at ILS, Bhubaneswar on Feb.
24-25, 2020, in which about 300
participants attended from all across the country representing 22 Tribal Welfare
Centres established by NASI. The programme is still going on; which would be
beneficial for more than 10,000 tribes.
Annual Session/Symposia/Seminars & Scientific Discussions
The 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 Chairmen of the Sace Commission, as well
as several other distinguished scientists. The 90th Annual Session
of the NASI, was organised on WEB (due to COVID-19 pandemic), on Feb. 25-27,
2021, which was attended by more than 300 dignitaries and the participants; a
symposium on ‘Towards a New Healthcare regime for the Nation’, was
also held during the session. Several scientific papers were presented in the
session.
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 2020. It also
awarded a few Foreign Fellowships to scientists who are working in different
countries and have collaborated with scientists from India.
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.
Recognition and Awards-
The following awards were given in the year 2020:
·
NASI-Reliance
Industries Platinum Jubilee Awards for the Application Oriented
Innovations
covering
both Physical and Biological Sciences to five distinguished scientists;
·
NASI-Young Scientist Platinum Jubilee Awards
to about twenty young scientists/researchers in
the fields of Biological/Physical/ Chemical Sciences;
·
NASI-Senior Scientist Platinum Jubilee
Fellowships;
·
Professor M. G. K. Menon Memorial
Award
(2020)
·
NASI – Swarna Jayanti Puruskars
for
Best
Paper Presentation to four young scientists/researchers, in the 90th
Annual
Session;
·
Memorial Lecture Awards
to about
15
eminent scientists;
·
NASI – Science and Maths Teacher Awards
by
NASI
HQ & Chapters to many teachers.
Major and Unique National Facilities serving the nation:
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 created by NASI to make
the people aware about the conservation of the rivers & our natural resources,
have been dedicated to the nation, and serving the society; while the third on
river Cauvery has also been established recently at Mysuru. The library of the
Academy is also serving our nation for more than 90 years; it is connected with
the National Knowledge Network (NKN). |
