BHUBANESWAR: Orissa gets an opportunity to showcase its talents before an elite gathering of top brains from India and abroad with Bhubaneswar being the chosen venue for the 99th session of the Indian Science Congress, to be held in January next year.
The 5-day session, scheduled to begin from January 3, 2012, to be attended by over 15,000 delegates, including 20 Nobel laureates, is to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is also expected to preside over the session on the concluding day as well. The ISC, hosted by the state 34 years ago, is being jointly organised by Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University and the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER).
"It is an opportunity to prove the state's ability to host a convention of such magnitude. We often come across reports of people sulking to organize top notch meetings in Bhubaneswar, citing inadequate infrastructure facilities. We proved the skeptics wrong. We are leaving nothing to chance to make the science congress a resounding success. Minute care is being taken so that the scientist community, heads of different scientific organizations, ministers and chiefs of various industries can cherish their memory of attending the session forever," said Achyuta Samanta, founder of KIIT and chief patron of the 99th ISC.
According to NISER director T K Chandrashekar, Orissa had to face a stiff competition from states like Karnataka, Maharashtra and institutes like IIT-Kharagpur before being selected as the venue for the prestigious convention of scientists.
KIIT founder Samanta said a 20 acre plot of land at KIIT campus is being exclusively developed for the session, with a view to accommodate nearly 20,000 people.
The 99th session the Indian Science Congress is to deliberate on ways to employ science and technology to empower common people, especially trying to reach the technologically deprived pockets of society. The ISC is expected to chalk out a roadmap to tap into the potential of the over one billion population of the country with a view to achieve the targeted transformation of India from being a developing nation to a developed country by 2020.
NISER director identified food security, clean energy from renewable sources, climate change, space technology, rural livelihood security and nano-technology as some of the pressing issues the session is expected to discuss. "The country is facing a major challenge to bridge the divide in economy, prosperity and quality of life based on geography, gender and other factors. Scientific development can go a long way in achieving this goal," Chandrashekar said.
Prior to the session, a 'Vigyan Rath' starting from Puri, is proposed to visit all 30 districts of the state for spreading awareness about science and technology. Nearly one lakh students are expected to visit the science congress exhibition. An essay competition amongst school children of Orissa has been proposed to be organised on the occasion with prizes of Rs three lakh, Rs two lakh and Rs one lakh for the winning entries. A similar competition has been planned at the national level for university students with prizes of Rs five lakh, Rs four lakh and Rs three lakh. The awards will be given at the session itself.
An 'Orissa Mandap' is also being organized for the occasion to showcase the state's rich heritage in the field of tourism, art, culture, natural resources, including its culinary traditions. An exhibition titled 'Pride of India' will be held at the venue with this view, Samanta informed. A Children Science Congress and Women Science Congress will be added features at the session. The Union government presenting the prestigious UNESCO-Kalinga Award will be another highlight, he added.
The 5-day session, scheduled to begin from January 3, 2012, to be attended by over 15,000 delegates, including 20 Nobel laureates, is to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is also expected to preside over the session on the concluding day as well. The ISC, hosted by the state 34 years ago, is being jointly organised by Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University and the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER).
"It is an opportunity to prove the state's ability to host a convention of such magnitude. We often come across reports of people sulking to organize top notch meetings in Bhubaneswar, citing inadequate infrastructure facilities. We proved the skeptics wrong. We are leaving nothing to chance to make the science congress a resounding success. Minute care is being taken so that the scientist community, heads of different scientific organizations, ministers and chiefs of various industries can cherish their memory of attending the session forever," said Achyuta Samanta, founder of KIIT and chief patron of the 99th ISC.
According to NISER director T K Chandrashekar, Orissa had to face a stiff competition from states like Karnataka, Maharashtra and institutes like IIT-Kharagpur before being selected as the venue for the prestigious convention of scientists.
KIIT founder Samanta said a 20 acre plot of land at KIIT campus is being exclusively developed for the session, with a view to accommodate nearly 20,000 people.
The 99th session the Indian Science Congress is to deliberate on ways to employ science and technology to empower common people, especially trying to reach the technologically deprived pockets of society. The ISC is expected to chalk out a roadmap to tap into the potential of the over one billion population of the country with a view to achieve the targeted transformation of India from being a developing nation to a developed country by 2020.
NISER director identified food security, clean energy from renewable sources, climate change, space technology, rural livelihood security and nano-technology as some of the pressing issues the session is expected to discuss. "The country is facing a major challenge to bridge the divide in economy, prosperity and quality of life based on geography, gender and other factors. Scientific development can go a long way in achieving this goal," Chandrashekar said.
Prior to the session, a 'Vigyan Rath' starting from Puri, is proposed to visit all 30 districts of the state for spreading awareness about science and technology. Nearly one lakh students are expected to visit the science congress exhibition. An essay competition amongst school children of Orissa has been proposed to be organised on the occasion with prizes of Rs three lakh, Rs two lakh and Rs one lakh for the winning entries. A similar competition has been planned at the national level for university students with prizes of Rs five lakh, Rs four lakh and Rs three lakh. The awards will be given at the session itself.
An 'Orissa Mandap' is also being organized for the occasion to showcase the state's rich heritage in the field of tourism, art, culture, natural resources, including its culinary traditions. An exhibition titled 'Pride of India' will be held at the venue with this view, Samanta informed. A Children Science Congress and Women Science Congress will be added features at the session. The Union government presenting the prestigious UNESCO-Kalinga Award will be another highlight, he added.
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