Award an honour to science

The third Bharat Ratna awardee from Karnataka sees the conferment of the country’s highest civilian award as a “recognition to science”.

Speaking to mediapersons at his residence soon after he arrived in the city from a trip to Thiruvananthapuram, CNR Rao said he was “grateful” to the country for “recognizing my efforts”.

The internationally renowned scientist hoped that the award to him would encourage more students to opt for science. He said the award was an honour to him personally and also to Karnataka, the state of his birth.

The 41st Bharat Ratna arrived at his residence on the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) campus to be greeted by a large group of students and IISc staff with bouquets of flowers.

“I got many awards from various countries but this is very dear to me...Science is everything for me... All I want to do is to continue scientific research...I have been working six-and-half days per week,’’ the 79-year-old professor of solid-state and structural chemistry.

Prof Rao, head of the scientific advisory council to the prime minister, He said he was waiting at Thiruvananthapuram airport awaiting his flight to Bangalore, when he received a call from Manmohan Singh informing him of the award.

Emphasising that India should be among the top five countries in the world in scientific research, Prof Rao said: “I want the country to invest more in science to compete with countries such as China and South Korea. There is no end in scientific research. It is like a ladder. We have to continue climbing the ladder that has no end. I think the industry in the country not investing enough in scientific research.”

The doyen of science research in the country, who has often been vocally critical of the country’s stress on IT to the detriment of pure science, said he welcomed the increased interest youth were showing in science.

“Though IT and other segments are considered lucrative, many youth are joining scientific research. I am very happy with this trend. I want more and more youth prefer scientific research and work hard,’’ said.