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Excerpts from Mr.N.Ram's Inaugural Address:
Citing an Opinion Article in today's 'The Hindu,' by Justice Markandey Katju, Chairman of the Press Council of India, he said,
Some 80 per cent of its people live in poverty, with unemployment, sky-rocketing prices, problems of healthcare, education and housing, and so on. Forty-eight farmers commit suicide on an average each day. And 47 per cent of the children are malnourished. Our national aim must be to abolish these evils and make India prosperous for all.
This stresses the need for the pursuit of accessibility, particularly focusing on those who have
been discriminated for centuries in the realm of education. Excellence doesn't descend from the skies. It has to be bought. In India, lack of synergies between the Undergraduate and Postgraduate departments, and above all between teaching and research is the bane that prevents this accessibility. Indian Universities don't do enough on those lines. Outlining the four people's principles of Science, Democracy, Livelihood and Unity of the People, he said that, our PM has openly acknowledged Malnutrition as a national shame, but, what exactly are we doing to bring it to the centrestage? Indeed, 'subcontinental malnourishment' is completely unacceptable in the 21st century India, for all the tom-tomming that we do about 'emerging India, and all the welfare programmes of the Centre and the States. Decade after decade, the malady remains.
Commenting on India's R&D spending, Mr.Ram said that we spend only 2% of our GDP on R&D, whereas countries like Japan spend thrice the amount on the same.
Lamenting the fact that not many Indian researchers get published in reputed International journals, he emphasised on the need for cutting-edge science.
We've to do something radically different from what we've been doing in recent times,
he opined.
Proceeding to the rift between science and religion, he said that, if the society is to be sustainable, we should concentrate more on effectively bridging the widening chasm between science and religion.
He spoke next on the 'triumph' of European Climate Diplomacy, with no great benefit for India. He said that, they did not effect a legally binding agreement, but only agreed to a roadmap towards a legally binding agreement. He also had a word on the Kyoto Protocol, questioning "What was India's response to this major development?"
Quoting David Miliband's remarks on the Indian Constitution calling it an Inspirational Document, Mr.Ram said that, it is inspirational because it is truly secular. It protects and places on a pedestal the principles of equality that all sections of Indian society are equal, through the abolition of untouchability, affirmative action programmes etc. These are all fine attempts but not successful enough to eradicate the evils of society.
What is unacceptable is that, 80% of the people lack the ways and means to the minimum acceptable ways of living. There are huge deprivations, and governments, by the way, underestimate these deprivations. Of course, there are direct interventions like Rural Employment Programmes, Noon-meal schemes etc, but at the end of the day, the question is, is it sustainable or not?
His concluding remarks called for these issues to be brought to centrestage.
Maoism, violence, terrorism and related pernicious evils have their roots in mass deprivations. No significant dents have been made on these lines. Unless we work on it, it is not going to be sustainable. They have to be brought to centrestage
he signed off.
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