Dear Colleague,
As you are aware, the prestigious Indian Science Congress is held every year in the month of January and as per tradition, is always inaugurated by the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India. Starting with a meager participation of 105 scientists in 1914, it has come a long way. The number of participation last year rose to around 5000 scientists from within and outside India.
Every year, a theme is chosen to focus deliberations on issues of national interest. For the 88th session, to be held at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (Pusa Campus), New Delhi from January 03-07, 2001, the theme chosen is "Food, Nutrition and Environmental Security", an issue of prime importance to our country as we enter into the new millennium. At the present growth rate of 1.8%, our population will be 1.3 billion in the year 2030, needing additional 100 million tonnes of food grains to ensure physical, economic and ecological access to household food and nutritional security. With the shrinking arable land and static productivity, the situation is indeed alarming. There is urgent need to take steps to
- control population growth
- ensure household food and nutritional security and
- increase productivity of food grains and other food crops.
All this will have to be achieved while conserving our fast depleting natural resources.
The task is indeed gigantic though not insurmountable. Diversification of agriculture, use of new technologies, like biotechnology, Information technology, space technology and developments in other related sciences and increasing productivity in rainfed areas will have to be resorted to.
It is proposed that the 88th session will deliberate on these key issues and come out with a shared vision for addressing comprehensively the issues of great national concern through a dynamic strategy for implementation.
I have great pleasure in inviting you to participate in the next Congress and stimulate the scientific deliberations through your valuable interface. Let us truly make it the first exciting Congress of the new millennium.
R. S. Paroda
General President
Indian Science Congress Association