Thiruvananthapuram, Sunday 03 January 2009: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will inaugurate the 97th session of the Indian Science Congress on the Kerala University Kariavattom campus today.

This national science event which brings together scientists, science managers, policy makers and students is organised by the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) and cohosted by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and University of Kerala.

The inaugural session will have addresses by the Governor of Kerala, Chief Minister of Kerala, Union Minister for Science and Technology and ISCA general president G.Madhavan Nair. The Prime Minister will also release special publications on science and technology at the 90-minutelong inaugural session.

The theme of the National Science Congress is ‘Science and Technology of 21st century - National Perspective’. After the formal inauguration on January 3, there will be two special sessions.

One on the focal theme will be chaired by G Madhavan Nair. K Kasturirangan, M S Swaminathan and S Banerjee will speak in this session. The second session on ‘Science programme for the country’ will be chaired by Education Minister of Kerala M.A.Baby.

Secretaries of various departments such as Science and Technology, Space, Atomic Energy and Earth Science and also chiefs of national institutions such as CSIR, ICMR and DRDO will attend this session.

The plenary sessions will also begin on the inaugural day. Eight plenary sessions on topics such as food and national security, health, environment, education, biotechnology, biodiversity and sustainable development, energy and information technology will be held during the Science Congress.

Nobel laureate Roger Y.Tsien will deliver a public lecture on Sunday. An exhibition showcasing developments in science and technology in the country titled ‘Pride of India’ will be open to public from January 4 to 7.

As many as 6,500 delegates is expected for the event, with a confirmed registration of 3,500 delegates and over 2,500 school students for the National Children’s Science Congress that will be held parallel to the mega event from January 4 to 6. The Children’s Science Congress, which will give students an opportunity to interact with eminent scientists, will be inaugurated by former president A.P.J.Abdul Kalam.

The various sessions of the Congress include agriculture and forestry sciences, animal, veterinary and fishery sciences, anthropological and behavioural sciences (including archaeology and psychology & educational science and military sciences), chemical sciences, earth system sciences, engineering sciences, environmental sciences, information and communication science & technology, materials science, mathematical sciences (including statistics), medical sciences, new biology (including biochemistry, biophysics & molecular biology and biotechnology), physical sciences and plant sciences.

In the history of the Indian Science Congress, which began in 1914 in Kolkata, this is just the second time that the State will be hosting the Congress. The first instance was in Kochi, where the 77th Indian Science Congress was held in 1990.

(News Agency)