The document discusses the history and current state of science in India. It provides context on how Indian science failed to impact globally historically due to a focus on philosophy over practical matters. It also notes that currently, few students in India opt for science careers compared to other nations. However, there have been important scientific contributions from India, including Nobel Prizes won by Indian scientists. The document highlights the work and accomplishments of notable Indian scientists like C.V. Raman to inspire future generations of Indian youth to pursue careers in science and research.

1. Indian Contributions in
Science & Technology
Hardev Singh Virk
Guest Editor, Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland
Visiting Professor, SGGS World University,
Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab, India

2. Why Indian Science Failed to Impact Globally?
• Indians took more interest in Mind vis a vis Matter. Even Max Planck relates
Matter to Mind in one of his Papers: "There is no matter as such! All matter
originates and exists only by virtue of a force which brings the particles of
an atom to vibration and holds this most minute solar system of the atom
together ... We must assume behind this force the existence of a
conscious and intelligent Mind. This Mind is the matrix of all matter.”
• Indians promoted ‘rote learning’ at all levels; creativity suffered.
• Medium of Instruction is Foreign language. British wanted to teach us
science in Indian vernacular but Indians revolted.
• Scientific temperament has failed to gain roots on Indian soil despite
efforts made by our first Prime Minister, Pundit J.L. Nehru. The present
regime in India has put the Clock back to the Vedic era, creating Myths
about Indian Science & Technology, which may prove harmful for the
progress of Indian Science in the long run.

3. Indian Contribution to Global Research (2010)
• Thompson Reuters report to DST has brought to light the poor
share of India’s Global Research contribution which is just 3.5%
of global output as against over 10% of China. In 2010, India's
largest shares of world research output were in chemistry
(6.5%), materials science (6.4%), agricultural sciences (6.2%),
pharmacology and toxicology (6.1%), microbiology (4.9%),
physics (4.6%) and engineering (4.2%) but it went down in
plant and animal sciences.
• This survey report also reveals that PU Chandigarh is at TOP in
rating among Indian Universities and Research Institutes.

4. Present Indian Scenario
• According to a survey by Indian National Science Academy,
New Delhi (2004), it was found that only 3.6 % of talented
students opt for science after school and only 157 out of every
million people in India opt to become scientists as compared to
2,666 in Britain, 4095 in the US and 5095 in Japan. This
situation shows slight improvement during the last decade.
• India has a unique demographic advantage of having the
largest young population in the coming decades compared
with other nations.

5. Indian Predicament
• India is facing a national problem today. The number of students
opting for excellent research and teaching in pure science has
gone down drastically, hence the nation can not advance
technologically. There need to be a paradigm shift in teaching of
science, so that a talented young person feels attracted towards
it. During the last decade, a number of initiatives have been taken
by Govt. of India to attract science students to opt for pure
sciences. For example, Science Talent Search; DST INSPIRE
Program; liberal funding for R&D in Universities; Technology
Parks; Fellowship Programs and Research Collaborations.

6. Educational Resurgence in Modern-Day
Punjab
• Quality education is the most effective tool to empower the
present younger generation of Punjab. As a result of the collapse
of the Govt-run Education System, several private players have
jumped into the field. These institutions, from the schools to the
university level, have mushroomed all over the State as a result of
the businessman-politician nexus which encourages these
institutes to charge exhorbitant fees and appoint sub-standard
faculty and exploit this faculty and make do with a sub-standard
infrastructure. Thus, there are three main players in education in
Punjab:

7. 1) The public sector, govt. schools & colleges,
and state-funded universities;
2) Institutes run by religious, social organisations
and subsidised by the government; and
3) The purely private, unaided institutions.
• Out of these three segments of education, it is
the school segment, more especially the rural
school segment, which cries for urgent attention
of the socially conscious, intellectually
enlightened citizens and socio-religious and
non-governmental organisations.

8. Some Startling Conclusions
• The data on school results submitted by PHRO report in
2006, mentioned that the results of 79 senior secondary
schools for 10th and 10+2 classes was 0%, of 219 similar
schools was less than 10%, and of 40 schools 10% for
the last 10 years. These results have emerged despite
the mass scale copying in these examinations in majority
of centers in rural Punjab schools.

9. Teaching of Science in Punjab Schools: A
Critical Survey(1975)

10. Role of Medium of Instruction

11. Conclusions of My Survey (1975)
• At High School level, 95% students study Science in
Punjabi medium but in XI class they shift to English
medium resulting in mass failures.
• Laboratory facility is almost non-existent in most of the
rural schools. Even in urban schools, Lab work is ignored
as all Competitive Tests are conducted on the basis of
Theory only.

12. • Most of the Science Teachers are B.Sc. who
got training in English medium. It is an enigma
when they start teaching in Punjabi medium.
• Vernacular text books in Science add to the
confusion as there is no standard technical
glossary available in Indian languages.
• The English medium model and public schools
have an advantage over government schools
so far as teaching of science is concerned. The
survey reveals that they cater largely to the
students of “nouveau riche”. Hence their very
existence is contradictory to the declared aims
of education in a democratic society.

13. A NEW SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR THE
YOUNG
• C.V. Raman published his first research paper
“UNSYMMETRICAL DIFFRACTION-BANDS DUE TO A
RECTANGULAR APERTURE", while he was a B.Sc.
Student in Presidency College, Madras in Philosophical
Magazine (Vol. 12, No. 71, pp. 494 – 498, Nov. 1906)
and started his journey to Nobel Laureate-hood. This
achievement by C.V. Raman can inspire many present
day students of similar age to be creative and start on a
career of research scientist.

14. Some Facts about CV RAMAN
• Date of Birth: November 7, 1888
• Matriculation: March, 1900 (Age of 11 yrs.)
• B.A First Rank: 1904 (Gold Medal)
• First Research Paper: 1906
• M.A; IRS Examination: 1907 (First Rank in both)
• British Govt. Service as AAG: 1907-1917
• Palit Professor, Calcutta University: July,1917
• Discovery of Raman Effect: Feb.28,1928
• Nobel prize for Physics: Oct. 1930

15. Daily Routine of CV RAMAN
• Lokasundri, wife of Raman, tells about his clock-like daily
routine in Calcutta:
• 5.30-9.30 AM: Research work at IACS Lab
• 10.0-5.00 PM: Regular Job in Govt. Deptt.
• 5.30-9.30 PM: Research work in IACS Lab
Raman set up a research laboratory at his home when
posted outside Calcutta, in Nagpur and Rangoon.

16. Important Contributions of RAMAN
• Blue Colour of the Sea Water (1921)
• Discovery of RAMAN Effect (1928)
• Raman-Nath Theory (1934-1936)
• Studies on Brillouin Scattering (1933-40)
• Discovery of the Soft Mode (1938-40)
• Other contributions: Optical & Magnetic anisotropy,
Acoustics & Indian Classical Music, Crystal Dynamics,
Physiology of Colour and Vision.

17. Publications of CV RAMAN
• Molecular Diffraction of Light
• Mechanical Theory of Bowed Strings and Diffraction of X-
rays
• Theory of Musical Instruments
• Physics of Crystals
• The New Physics
• More than 500 Original Research Papers

18. Quotable quotes of RAMAN
• Good science was not created merely by spending money, starting
laboratories and passing orders. More important was the human element,
and if quantity replaces quality then disaster would surely follow.
• Government control not only inhibits creativity, but more disastrously, it
encourages sloth and intrigue, besides rewarding non-performance.
• Raman was one of the first to raise his voice against the bureaucratic
approach in the post-independence era but bureaucracy has survived,
thrived and grown to even more ominous proportions. And there is no body
left now to raise a word of public interest.

19. Frustrations of CV Raman’s Life
• Raman lost his Nobel Prize money in an overseas investment
company.
• Raman was frustrated in his efforts to upgrade IISc and its
Physics department.
• On the contrary, he was charged with embezzlement of funds and
removed from directorship of IISc in April, 1938.
• Raman was charged to be antagonistic to applied science and
inviting German Scientists (Max Born) to IISc, Bangalore.

30. Contribution of Punjabi Scientists
• If we compare contribution of Punjabi Scientists vis a vis
Indian Scientists to Nobel Prizes; the scenario is quite
encouraging.
• CV Raman is the only Scientist of Kolkatta School who
got Nobel Prize in Physics (1930).
• Punjab University, Lahore produced 3 Nobel Laureates in
Science: Hargobind Khurana (Biochemistry: Medicine); S.
Chandrasekhar (Physics) and Abdus Salam (Physics).

31. Hargobind Khorana: 1st Punjabi Nobel Laureate

32. Abdus Salam: My Friend & Philosopher

33. Abdus Salam Awarded D.Sc. (Honoris
Causa)in GNDU Amritsar (26 Jan. 1981)

34. After the Award of Degree

35. Prof. Piara Singh Gill: Pioneer Cosmic
Ray Physicist of India (AMU,1961-63)

36. Prof. Piara Singh Gill: My Mentor in Physics

37. Prof. Puran Singh: Scientist & Poet (My Role Model)

38. Puran Singh: A Buddhist Bhiku in Tokyo Univ. (1900)

39. Topics of My Interest in Physics
• Elementary Particles (Marie Curie University, Paris, 1970-73)
• Cosmology: Creation of Universe in Science & Religion (1965-2015)
• Geochronology: Dating of Rocks (PU Patiala, 1974)
• Study of Nuclear Tracks in Solids (1985)
• Earthquake Studies using Radon/He Precursor (GNDU, 1984)
• Heavy Ion Radiation damage in Polymers (GNDU, 1990)
• Radiation Effects in Materials & Environment Health Hazards (1995)
• Nanotechnology: Nanowires & Nanomaterials ( DAVIET, 2008-11).

40. First Prize: Brahmandi Kirna di Kahani (Story of
Cosmic Rays) by Punjabi Univ. Patiala, 1969

41. Going for Ph.D. viva in Paris University (1972)

42. My Thesis Examiners (Prof. Louis Avon & Mrs. Max
Morand)

43. A Meeting with Nobel Laureates (ICTP 1987)

44. Training on Experimental Nuclear Reactor
(Budapest, Hungary, 1999)

45. Radon Recording for Earthquake Prediction in
Palampur, Kangra valley (HP)

46. SEM Images of Cu Nanowires using
Electrodeposition Technique (DAVIET, 2008)

47. I-V Characteristics of Copper Nanowires grown in-
situ in AAM

48. Copper Nanoflowers grown in Polymer Template
(100nm pores)

49. Copper Marigold Flower

50. NASA Mission Photos of Curiosity showing Surface
of Mars and Earth to be Identical

51. Our Research Publications
• Our Research Papers can be downloaded on Research gate:
www.researchgate.net/profile/Hardev_Virk/publications.
• Free download of Review Paper on Nanowires, visit:
ttp://www.intechopen.com/ articles/show
• For List of our Publications, Visit website: http://drhsvirk.weebly.com
• Hardev Singh Virk - Google Scholar Citations
Citation indices All Since 2009
Citations 1872 846
h-index 21 14
i10-index 61 24

52. Thank You !!!