Patna, (Bihar Times): In spite of the state
government’s withdrawal from the Bihar Science
Conference and subsequent request to the former
President, A P J Abdul Kalam, not to come the chief
minister, Nitish Kumar, on Wednesday inaugurated the
three-day Bihar Science Conference. However, instead
of the S K Memorial Hall the function took place in
the Physics Department of the Patna Science College.
Nitish, however, did try to explain the state
government’s position by stating that a visit by a
former President and that too of Dr Kalam’s stature
needs a lot of planning. He said that he himself had
to prepare and plan himself for his visit and that the
organizers had invited him at too short a notice. The
Conference is being organized by the Bihar Brains
Scholastic Center.
The technocrat chief minister chose the occasion to
speak less on pure science and more on the proposed
technological development in the state, achievements
of Biharis students and Patna University, whose
central university status he once again advocated.
Kumar called for more pressure on the Centre to accord
Central University status to Patna University.
However, he said that the state government would soon
set up a state-of-the-art science laboratory in Patna.
He said that students of Bihar had been playing a
significant role in the rebuilding of Bihar and
country.
The chief minister announced that Patna would be
converted into the Bangalore of the East and that the
state capital would be developed as the Call Centre
hub and the government was willing to provide all
kinds of helps and assistance to achieve this dream.
The key-note address was delivered by the science and technology adviser to the Prime Minister and Hyderabad University Vice Chancellor, Prof Dr S E Hasnain. Dr Hasnain, it needs to be mentioned, was born and brought up in Gaya.
Scientists, experts and teachers from India and abroad
took part in the opening day of the conference.
Prominent among them were the Patna University pro VC
Prof I Ahsan, Science College principal Prof S N Guha,
Magadh Mahila College Professor Dolly Sinha, Head of
the Department, Chemistry, IIT Mumbai, Prof M K
Mishra, Oxford University Professor Ashish Kumar,
Leeds University professor Animesh Jha, Patna
University physics professor Dr. Rajmani Prasad,
Jainendra Kumar, and Professor Dharm Prakash.
The chairman of Bihar Brains, Bibhuti Bikramaditya,
who is also the chief organizer, said the Conference
would help inculcate scientific temper among the
people of Bihar.
Though the Science Conference did take place it lost
much of its enthusiasm because of the confusion
created by the state government.
