NEWS

3rd National Science Communication Congress

The third National Science Communication Congress (NSCC-2003) was held on August 29-30 in the port city of Visakhapatnam. The Congress was organised by the NCSTC in association with the Indian Secince Writers’ Association (ISWA), Andhra Pradesh State Council for Science & Technology (APCOST) and hosted by ISWA Andhra Pradesh Chapter and Science Writers’ Association in Telugu (SWATI).

Over 100 scientists and science writers attended the Congress from all over the country. Some 35 papers were presented on various aspects of science communication spread over 5 technical sessions, i.e.
(i) Science and Media Interface, (ii) Science Communication and Public, (iii) Science Communication and Development, (iv) Scientific Temper and Cultural System and (v) Science Communication in Regional Languages. Dr. Soma Basu, Kolkata won the best paper award.

On this occasion, ISWA announced its Honorary Fellowships to eminent scientists of the country. Prof. V.S. Ramamurthy, Dr. Harsh K. Gupta, Dr. (Mrs.) Manju Sharma, Dr. K. Kasturirangan, Dr. R. Chidambaram are the recipients of the ISWA Honorary Fellowships. This year's ISWA C.B. Sharma Award for science communication was given to Dr. Sammeta Goverdhan (Warangal) and Dr. (Ms.) Parul R. Sheth (Mumbai). ISWA National Award for science writing was given to Shri Pradeep K Srivastava (Lucknow) and Smt. Parvinder Chawla (New Delhi).

An encyclopedic English-Telugu medical dictionary prepared by Mr. J. Koneti Rao, an eminent science writer in Telugu, was also released on this occasion by the chief guest Dr. Cheyon Murugan.

ISWA also introduced ISWA Samman in 2003 to recognise and encourage its members in different Indian languages.

NSCC provides a platform for science communicators from India and abroad, where they can discuss the issues confronting science communication and science communicators. The Congress had deliberations through its five technical sessions namely, Science and Media Interface, Science Communication and Public, Science Communication and Developments, Scientific Temper and Cultural System and Science Communication in Regional Languages. An exhibition of science periodicals of various regional languages was also organised.

Another innovative feature of the program was group discussion to have converged views on contemporary issues in communication concerning the country.

A newsletter titled NSCC News was brought out on this occasion covering a bunch of information on various aspects of the Congress.

National Seminar on Scientific Awareness and People’s Empowerment

The country is celebrating the year 2004 as ‘Year of Scientific Awareness’ (YSA 2004), as a follow up of 'Science and Technology Policy 2003' that emphasises enhancing public awareness of science and technology, leading to informed decision making in participatory democracy for country's overall development,

The Rashtriya Vigyan Evam Prodyogiki Sanchar Parishad (NCSTC), Department of Science & Technology, organised a national seminar on ‘Scientific Awarness and People’s Empowerment : Role of Investigative Science Journalism’ in New Delhi during December 19-20, 2003 as a precursor to observing 2004 as the Year of Scientific Awareness.

Over 150 delegates from various parts of the country, comprising renowned scientists, science writers, academicians, social and developmental activists, artistes, economists and journalists actively participated in the seminar. Research oriented issues and topics concerning investigative science journalism leading to public appreciation of science and technology and different aspects of scietific awareness were discussed.

Expressing their views on inadequate coverage of successes and developmental stories in S &T, participants asked journalists not to be biased towards reporting only sensational issues or failures in science. They urged R&D institutions to be transparent and cooperative with media in providing information on various developments in respective field to encourage better coverage. Some 30 presentations were made by distinguished scientists, science journalists, scholars and science activists spread over three technical sessions - Scientific Awareness and Informed Decision Making, Transparency in R&D and Mass Media and Investigation and Reporting of Contemporary Issues and Traditional S&T. A plenary session was also held at the end of these technical sessions.

The delegates urged universities to include science reporting in the syllabus of journalism and mass communication courses for the post-graduates. A few universities have started academic courses in science communication leading to M.Sc. in Science Communication and have introduced special papers in science journalism with support from NCSTC. S&T organisations such as CSIR, ICAR, ICMR and other scientific bodies should come forward to allow the media access to study their laboratories for adequate coverage.

Paricipants demanded the editors and media houses, particularly the print media, to allocate at least 10 percent space for science stories to help make masses scientifically aware and attitudinally rational.

The Indian Science Writers’ Association (ISWA) awarded its Honorary Fellowships to Prof. V.S. Ramamurthy, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Dr. Manju Sharma, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology and Dr. K. Kasturirangan, Former Secretary, Department of Space on this occasion.

Vigyan Rail : Science Exhibition on Wheels

‘Vigyan Rail: Science Exhibition on Wheels’, a prestigious project conceived, formulated and implemented by Vigyan Prasar jointly with the Ministry of Railways, and with active support from the Department of Science and Technology (DST) took off on Dec. 15, 2003, when it was flagged off by the Prime Minister A. B. Vajpayee in New Dellhi. The project has been undertaken with the active participation of scientific ministries and councils of Government of India.

The Vigyan Rail project was evolved after several rounds of discussion amongst the participating agencies at the coordination meetings .Vigyan Prasar, jointly with National Council of Science Museums prepared a detailed project report for this event with inputs from Ministry of Railways.

The train, aimed at development of scientific temper among the people, will travel to 56 cities in the next nine months. It has 12 coaches carrying various exhibits, including scientific heritage, environment, space, communication, information technology, ocean development, water resources, defence, agriculture, non-conventional energy sources, health and medicine and atomic energy. Eighteen government departments are taking part in this endeavour.

The project makes use of India's vast network of Indian Railways to help foster scientific awareness among people living in the far flung areas of the country.

The project coincides with the Department of Science and Technology's decision to observe 2004 the Year of Scientific Awareness.

Professor Perves Amirali Hoodbhoy has been awarded with the Kalinga Prize for the Popularization of Science for the year 2003. Prof. Hoodbhoy is a Nuclear Physicist and a dedicated science communicator from Islamabad, Pakistan.

The recipient of this annual award must have distinguished him or herself during a brilliant career as writer, editor, lecturer, film producer, radio / television programme director or presenter, through talent in interpreting science and technology for the general public. The recipient should also have striven during the course of career to emphasise the importance of science and technology and its role in improving public welfare, enriching the cultural heritage of nations and solving problems facing humanity.

Many past prize winners have been scientists in their own right, while others have been trained in journalism or have been educators or writers.

The Kalinga Prize is awarded during the celebration of the World Science Day. Under the terms of the Prize, the recipient receives a sum of two thousand Pounds Sterling and a UNESCO Albert Einstein Silver Medal.

The recipient is also awarded the Ruchi Ram Sahni Chair, introduced by the Government of India in 2001 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Kalinga Prize. As holder of the Ruchi Ram Sahni Chair, Prof. Hoodbhoy will travel to India for a period of two to four weeks as a guest of the Government of India and will deliver popular science lectures.

Since the inception of the Award in 1952, four Indians have also been awarded Kalinga Prize - Jagjit Singh (1963), Narender K. Sehgal (1991, jointly with Radu Iftimovici of Romania), Jayant V. Narlikar (1996, jointly with Jiri Grygar of Czech Republic) and Dorairajan Balasubramanian (1997).