EDUCATION
TO HAVE EXCLUSIVE SATELLITE
Education will soon have a satellite exclusively
dedicated to it. This satellite, by beaming educational programmes,
and study material will be able to make education reach out to
the people in the remote areas of the country, who otherwise do
not have an easy access to it. Those people who due to tradition
cannot venture out of their home will also be able to get education.
This was stated by Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, Union Minister for
Human Resource Development and Science and Technology here last
evening. He was giving away the Gujar Mal Modi Science Award,
2002 to Dr. K. Kasturirangan, Chairman, Space Commission and Indian
Space Research Organisation and Dr. (Smt.) Manju Sharma, Secretary,
Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology.
Dr. Joshi urged the Indian corporate houses to
come forward to promote science and technology and indigenous
research. He said that it is only through development of science
and technology and its mass application that a country can progress
faster. He also pointed out that science must ultimately benefit
the common man. He expressed his confidence that India would be
one of the world leaders in science and technology in the twenty-first
century.
The Gujar Mal Modi Science Award was instituted
by the Gujar Mal Modi Foundation in 1988 and is given each year
to a person (this year two persons have been awarded) who has
demonstrated the qualities of excellence and innovation through
outstanding research and promotion of science and technology in
India. The award consists of a cash prize of Rs.1.01 lakh, a silver
shield and a scroll of honour. Some of the earlier recipients
of this award include Prof. Satish Dhawan, Prof. C.N.R.Rao, Dr.
A.P.J.Abdul Kalam and Prof. M.G.K.Menon.
