sivan@aero.ARPA (Sivan Mahadevan ) (07/23/85)
In the July 12th issue of Science Magazine, J. S. Rao, the science counsellor at the Indian Embassy in Washington, has written a very positive article on India's advancements in science and technology since our independence. First he establishes India as being a front runner in scientific discoveries as far back as the Vedic Ages (discovery of zero, etc.). In 1947-1948 India spend $1 million on science and technology; in 1983-84 India spent $1450 million on science and technology. Rao breaks up his discussion of India's advancements into the groups of agriculture, energy, health, space, basic sciences, engineering sciences, and international collaboration. I'll give a brief summary of what he has to say in each category, but the article is still well worth reading. Agriculture: ------------ Net irrigated land makes up a little more than 25% of the net sown area in the country, and India is adding 2 millions hectares to the area under irrigation each year. Fertilizer production has increades from 18,000 metric tons in 1951 to 3 million tons in 1981. Major projects in agriculture are supported by DSC, CSIR, and IIT Kharagpur. Energy: ------- Coal production has increased from 30 to 144 million metric tons in the last three decades. Through the ambitious plans of Oil and Natural Gas Commision, 30 million tons of oil a year 14.5 million cubic meters of gas a day were produced during the current year, meeting almost 75% of the country's needs. India has now achieved a position among the most advanced nuclear nations and plans to produce 10,000 MW of atomic power by the turn of the century. A 20 MW plutonium-fuelded fast breeder test reactor is being designed for the Kalpakkam Reactor Research Centre (Madras). Health: ------- Life expectancy has been increasing at the rate of 1 year per year and now is a little over 54 years. Smallpox has been eradicated and plague is no longer a problem. Two new vaccines (for leprosy) have been developed at the Indian Cancer Research Centre and All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Space: ------ The Department of Space is responsible for space activities through the Indian Space Research Organization which oversees research in launch vehicles, satellites, satellite applications, launce services, and tracking. (He goes on to talk about Aryabhata, Bhaskara I and II, RSD 1 and 2, and the Insats). An Indian payload scientist who is to fly aboard the US space shuttle in connection with the flight of insat-1c i 1986 will also be involved with joint experiments in the areas of Earth observations and life sciences. Basic Sciences: --------------- Sir C. V. Raman, the Nobel Prize winner for his discoverey of the Raman effect in the 1920's, set the pace for the renaissance of basic science in India. He founded the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore. Mathematics is very strong in the Institute (TIFR), continued in the tradition of Srinivasa Ramanujan. Engineering Sciences: --------------------- During the last three dected India has completed some of the world's largest dams and hydroelectric projects. India has build many power stations of 500-MW or more. Two major computer networks, one for national information, and the other for commercial work, are being established. The National Silicon Facility is being established in Baroda for the manufacture of polysilicon for LSI/VLSI circuits. Sivan Mahadevan Computer Science Laboratory The Aerospace Corporation Los Angeles ARPA: sivan@aerospace UUCP: sivan@aero.uucp BELL: 213-648-6677