Having discussed the information society issues
and illusions by David line we will now in
this lecture discuss reception of modern science
in India. I mean when I talk about the reception
of modern science in India I mean the way
modern science was received during the colonial
period and currently how it is being received,
I mean in the context of post-colonial. Modern
science when it was implanted in Indian soil
what will generally find that it elicited.
Three responses from Indian intelligence,
one is acceptance secondly rejection and thirdly
ambivalence we will discuss slowly what do
they imply, I mean the argument is that I
mean which has been established historically
that when modern science was introduced in
India there was a section of the Indian intelligence
here which accepted modern science in both
hands. Because they could understand they
could foresee the transformative potential
of science and technology in the Indian context
and those who rejected it there was I mean
there were two sections who rejected those
who believed only in theology or metaphysics
they also rejected the way science was introduced
modern science was introduced.
But there where another section which again
thought I mean another section whole which
rejected modern science in India they also
thought that modern science again has been
implanted in Indian context in India in Indian
soil as a part of colonial dispensation and
alien policy. As a consequence of which the
thought it leads to the third position of
ambivalence which suggests that yes, modern
science was introduced in India they could
foresee the transformative potential of Science
and Technology in India.
But at the same time they were thinking that
whether it is another ploy of the British
for imperialist expensive okay, they were
ambivalent whether to go ahead with Western
science or not modern science okay, like Prafulla
generally Hindu chemistry life and experiences
of a Bengali chemist and so, okay. There are
different positions when we look at the perspectives
to study reception of modern science in India
broadly they can be categorized under three
perspectives may be the colonialist perspective,
the Orientalist perspective and the nationalist
perspective which has been sketched by John
Bauer.
One of the preeminent scholars of history
of science, but we are taking a nationalist
perspective to understand this now okay, why
nationalist perspective not against the backdrop
of the current debates on national rather
National regime a part of anti-colonial struggles
okay, during the colonial in Indian context
okay, but in this context we are going to
discuss reception of modern science okay.
I mean and as student of HTS.
I must start with the fundamental tension
of Science and Technology studies in short
the fundamental tension of science studies
as I see it okay, is the dialectic between
science for its own sake and the production
of scientific knowledge that has an immediate
Intel Italian values affecting the world views
values meanings interests attitudes and the
corresponding accents of the scientific community
which one can empirically observe. I am going
to discuss reception of modern science in
India by looking at a paper which I wrote
maybe almost more than a decade ago. Now which
was published in current science in 2006 okay,
how modern science was received and how modern
science was democratized in Indian context
by building scientific institutions I mean
okay, and sociology of science and technology
I just specialty okay, has been concerned
in exploring the dialectic between science
for its own sake and science which has got
application on aspects okay.
So signature of science as you know is a specialty
that examines how and to what extent in what
wage and to what extent various socio-cultural
factors both internal as well as external
to the worlds of science influence the production
of scientific knowledge and its application.
The literature suggests that the earlier conception
that science is autonomous having its internal
having its own dynamics having its internal
dynamics unconnected with the external world
external forces is no longer sustainability.
Rather what we see is that both science and
technology as important forces of production
okay, have been influenced by various factors
ranging from social, economic, political,
cultural, legal, ethical, institutional, ideological
and so on that is why the divide between the
internal and external worlds of science is
not rigid but for us that is what we have
already discussed, that is why we discussed
how blue suggested that all knowledge including
scientific knowledge is socially cost, okay
that is a even Restivo and Wendigo hospice
pointed out that the social is not only in
the external social and cultural milieu or
context of science.
But in the social organization of science
I mean indeed in scientists themselves okay,
the social what we say social is historically
and democratically constituted and hence varies
over time and across space okay. Then what
we do, then when we say the process of democratization
of scientific knowledge in the Indian context
okay, what does that term mean, the term democratization
refers to the way in which democratic is norms
institutions and practices evolve and that
be simulated both within and across national
and cultural boundaries, okay.
What are the constituents of, what are the
I mean when we talk about democratic norms,
the process of democratization what may be
the possible factors of this okay, one may
say equality of opportunities to practice
science to do science the degree of access
to science equality of opportunities to evaluate
any knowledge for the degree of access to
scientific knowledge for application they
may constitute democratic norms. Both the
internal as well as external to the worlds
of science, okay.
But I do not do this it is important to understand
the freedom to decent constitute the perhaps
the most important democratic norm along with
the other democratic norms that we have just
now discussed equality of opportunities to
do science, the degree of access to do science,
equality of opportunities to evaluate any
knowledge for the degree of access to scientific
knowledge for application and that is why
it is important to understand freedom to be
sent as constitutive of the process of democratization.
In this context it is there as there has been
a relationship between the social responsibility
in science on the one hand and the mainstream
of political and social debate an action on
the other. The concert what is that social
responsibility in science then okay, this
the concept social responsibility in science
came into the literature on sociology of science
in the context of the Second World War okay,
historians and sociologists of science use
this term, in this term social responsibility
in science both in the context of war in ethics.
In particular we must begin to see the central
place of the institutional and ideological
role of science in maintaining and or transforming
the most basic features of our democratic
society okay, however democracy cannot be
figured out on its figured out simply on its
own terms in terms of either its argument
or its vision how so ever important this might
be, democracy seeks to connect okay, democracy
as your value system democracy as a constitutional
mandate at least in Indian context okay, democracy
six to connect the universe of values with
the real more power and it is essential to
see what is involved in this.
It may also be useful to try to place this
problem of connecting one with the other in
its modern setting. Once we have begun to
see all of us must decide what if anything
she or he is going to do about maintaining
reforming or transforming the present order
of society starting with the institutional
mechanisms in which she or he is most directly
involved maybe in the case of laboratories,
in the case of departments, colleges, communities
and so on and this lecture our attempt is
to provoke a debate and action on these questions
keeping in mind the context of the building
and growth of scientific institutions and
universities in nineteenth-century India okay.
The perspective that we are going to use that
is the sociology of science and technology
perspective which takes you from historical
sociology. If somebody wants to understand
historical sociology please read the sociological
imagination by Searight Mills you can more
you can look at the works of Philip a bronze,
look at the works of Anthony Giddens and so
on okay, what here we want to do okay, that
how there was a rapid accumulation of knowledge
which has characterized the development of
science since the 17th century had never occurred
before that time indeed okay.
The new kind of scientific activity emerged
only in a few countries of Western Europe
and it was restricted to that small area of
about 200 years. Since the 19th century scientific
knowledge has been getting institutionalized
by the rest of the world and India is was
no exception to this, it has occurred through
the diffusion of the patterns of scientific
activity and scientific roles from Western
Europe to other parts of the world.
When you when we look at building scientific
institutions I mean institutionalization of
modern science in colonial India the institutional
digestion of modern or Western science in
India began with the development or establishment
of the great servant like the geological the
botanical and the trigonometric under the
inspired impetus of the aesthetic Society
of Bengal inaugurated in 1784 okay.
This was followed by the establishment of
universities in the port towns of Bombay,
Calcutta and Madras in 1857 this period also
saw the consolidation of British rule in India
especially with the with the failure of the
first Indian war of independence of 1857.
The British rule in our country was primarily
based on its improved mode of production I
mean when I say improved mode of products
and I mean improved technology organizational
abilities and so on okay. We also I mean I
mean it was important for the colonial government
to maintain its superiority if it were to
continue its rule colonization is always inimical
to any organized development of creativity
amongst the colonized.
As India was a large country to be governed
the British realized that it was important
to have a gather of well-trained Indians in
all it is including science and technology,
therefore the British set up a small number
of universities loosely based on the British
pattern in the nineteenth century, in fact
till 1850 India had only one University founded
in Serampore near Serampore near Calcutta
in 1818 by a group called the Danes it was
primarily a geological University between
1850 and 1905 more universities were set up
at Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, Alibaug, and
the erstwhile undivided Punjab intending to
cover the entire country.
The first two medical colleges were set up
at Madras and Calcutta in1835 the first scientific
research organization set up by an Indian
Mahindra Lal Sarkar was the Indian Association
for the cultivation of science in at Calcutta
in 1876, at the end of the 19th century India
had a total of six science related societies
including the aesthetic Society of Bombay
set up in 1804 out of which two were professional
societies namely the agricultural and horticultural
society of India in 1820 in Calcutta and the
Bombay Natural History Society in 1853.
However we must that modern science was not
introduced in a vacuum and that some of them
like our weather and astronomy were more democratized
than perhaps modern science then or now, the
colonial government started building scientific
organizations institutions to use the knowledge
generated by the institutions for gaining
better understanding of the territory climate
flora and fauna of the colony to administer
the colony and perhaps exploit the resources
in a more efficient manner.
It is against this backdrop that the first
generation of nationalist scientists attempted
to build scientific institutions and democratic
and democratic science okay, without taking
any support from the colonial government enthusiasm
was shown by a section of our elites to embrace
modernity okay. Modern science may also be
construed as an attempt to get closer to the
colonial rulers that is why in the earlier
lectures we have discussed collapse of the
dreams of modernity in 1970 I mean because
the way modern modernity was conceptualized
for a long time it was only European modernity
okay.
That alternatives to European modernity multiple
modalities perhaps these were not conceived
of theoretically for a long time but there
was resistance to one only one version of
modernity or there is there was register there
were there were different forms of resistance
to the modernity okay on the contrary those
who are suspicious of things Western or modern
including modern science cannot be viewed
as being opposed to democratization of knowledge
or of society at large some of them at least
did perceive modern sign as a part of colonial
dispensation and as an alien imposition.
It was the policy of the colonial government
that did not allow Indian scientists to occupy
higher positions though many of them were
competent it was it does hindered the process
of democratization of scientific technology
in India and it is in this and it was against
this backdrop that the nationalist scientists
attempted to build scientific institutions
to democratize. Most of the research about
perceptions own and reception of modern science
in 19th century India focused on the Bengal
province and North India, initially however
it does not imply that Indian intelligence
that did not respond to modern science in
other regions for example the Madras Presidency
had instruments but no observatory the East
India Company had established an observatory
at Madras in 1870 according to kootchar, it
was the first modern public Observatory outside
Europe and to use today term the first modern
Research Institute in India okay.
The East India Company had declared that the
purpose of the Madras observatory okay, now
who has to encourage the advancement of the
knowledge of astronomy geography and navigation
in India there were other more important things
than green science such as increasing the
company's revenue by improving irrigation
facilities also see why poor towns were selected
to create universities because you do is for
the commercial benefit of the British Empire
okay.
Several astronomical observations were carried
out by Golding Tom and his deputy Warren both
of which both of whom were trained astronomers
know well the British East India Company was
reluctant to encourage observations in India,
I mean observatories in India okay. The establishment
of the Nizamiah observatory in 1908 in the
Hyderabad state shows that the Nizam’s regime
was receptive and favorable towards the establishment
and continuation of the astronomical observatory
this was partly because Hyderabad state was
never under any colonial regime Hyderabad
was an independent state right.
Never the less democratization of scientific
and technological development remain the mate
for the millions of the country only certain
social groups of the society were able to
receive and respond to the introduction of
modern science and technology to the Indian
soil. Now the question arises that with social
groups with social groups where the first
who received and responded to the introduction
of modern science in India of course not much
work has been done on the transmission of
scientific ideas between different cultures
an attempt has been made to understand us
to how knowledge is conceived of within the
epistemological framework of one culture is
received adapted and observed by another culture.
In the first half of the19th century in the
first half of the19th century both Hindus
and Muslims had their own elites however paradoxically
it was only the Hindu elites drawn naturally
from the upper castes principally the Brahmins
the wythearge and the highest in the Bengal
province who made contact with the British
and eagerly sought after modern science which
took groups in Europe as a legitimate knowledge.
Amongst the Bengali Muslims there was a much
larger socially and economically infinite
stratum and a corresponding similar smaller
aristocracy then amongst the Hindus this fact
in itself does not explain the almost complete
lack of response of Muslims to English education
in19th century Bengal nor where the explains
based on religious outlook for the Muslim
response to Muslim for the Muslim response
different elsewhere in the country.
For instance between 1876 – 77 and 1885
– 86, 51 Muslims and 1338 Hindus took the
BA degree in Calcutta in 1870 only two Muslims
both of whom failed okay wrote the BA exam
while in the same year 151 Hindus for the
examination set for the examination for whom
56 received their degrees in the North in
the northwestern provinces Bihar, Orissa,
and old all the Muslims were in a minority
the community-wide education pattern was quite
opposite to that in Bengal that is why Bengal
was much advanced in terms of having inclusivity
so far it is different religious groups are
concerned.
Modern scientific ideas and techniques came
to India in the wake of the British conquest
but they faced three major limitations okay,
first the scale of implantation and the degree
of utilization was limited to suit the policies
of the rulers. Secondly the teaching of science
was introduced merely to provide training
in various branches rather than creating an
appreciation of science as a tool of intellectual
and social transformation and thirdly science
was introduced in English this is important
science was introduced in English not in vernacular
languages.
Consequently instead of playing the role modern
sense they played in Europe okay, it became
isolated in Indian context it did not interact
with different state of society but leaned
heavily for its growth on the government and
became an intrinsic part of the policies of
the of the rulers, yet there was a section
of the Indian intelligenceium that believed
that the British civilization represented
a new approach to life and nature and Darrin
led the hope for the future emancipation of
India.
One aspect of this one aspect of this intellectual
realization was the thirst of knowledge thirst
for knowledge this led to the formation of
scientific societies and institutions by Indians
to provide access to modern science okay.
And most of the Indian intelligence here okay,
or the cultural elite felt the need of important
science education to Indians for exploring
the new horizons of knowledge about nature
and life in contrast it must be noted that
when the British introduced Western education
they did not introduce they did not introduce
science in the curriculum rather they focused
on literature, law, grammar, and so on okay.
And later on the teachings of science was
introduced merely to provide training in various
branches rather than creating an appreciation
of science a new tool of intellectual and
social transformation okay, and that is why
you will find do I mean like Rahman Roy Raja
Ram Mohan Roy he was very much critical of
this that is why he responded to the East
India Company by writing to them that no science
must be introduced modern science must be
introduced in the school curriculum itself
okay.
For example in 1875 Richard temple the then
governor-general of Bengal wrote a letter
to Sir John led mayor Lawrence the then Viceroy
on the rising discontent in India okay, the
native intellectuals okay where quick to note
of this fact and of which they were aware
throughout the nineteenth century.
And even the beginnings of beginning of the
20th century they had they had two options
before them the first option was to convince
themselves that the best products of modern
science were already anticipated by what they
considered to be the national philosophy of
India namely Vedanta, such an effort aimed
at internalizing an alien system of knowledge
on the one hand in exhibiting rational and
empirical significance of the Vedanta thought
which was treated at best as a true philosophical
by the Western philosophy okay I repeat if
we do not though was treated at best at best
its new philosophical only by the Western
philosophical world okay.
It is this concern which has been expressed
in the works of Vivekananda Eurobond and many
others and the second option the second option
was to build an indigenous tradition of modern
science by establishing scientific institutions
for pedagogy and research and this second
option is sociologically significant and deserves
to be discussed by reflecting on by reflecting
on the building of scientific instruments
in 19th century India namely the Hindu College
of 1816 Delhi College of 1825 the early good
scientific society of 1864 the Bihar scientific
society in 1868 and the Indian Association
for the cultivation of science 1876 okay.
These institutions were initiated mostly in
the second half of the of the 19th as a part
of the process of not nearly popular aging
but also democratizing scientific knowledge
in India by creating opportunities for Indians
to pursue science education okay, then let
us start with the Hindu college just to start
with the only people committed to introducing
Western education in India.
Where I mean the missionaries particularly
and the evangelicals initially who wanted
to use Western arts, Western philosophy, and
Western religion, to read the Hindus of the
moral depravity that according to them was
the cause of their degeneracy. These attempts
did not receive the expected enthusiasm from
the Hindu subjects of Great Britain in addition
there was not a way of going about importing
ideas to the latter the I mean the Hindu upper
caste could not be convinced of almost any
of their shortcomings but they could not be
called morally depraved attempts by both Orient
lists and missionaries received no major of
official approval consequently these attempts
made little headway in stark contrast.
However a native gentleman community rose
to the occasion and these gentlemen from Bengal
were better known as the Bhadralok the gentleman
coming Bhadralok in I mean in Bengal they
are known as Boudreau okay, they had an inclination
towards the acquisition of Western ideas in
Western science through English language in
education indeed education itself became the
hallmark of Bhadralok status the Simon Commission
report observed I mean the school is one the
school is the one gate to the Society of the
Bhadralok I mean cool off western entries.
Within the colonial framework the conflict
among the different systems of knowledge was
also a conflict among the value systems however
for those sections of the Indian society that
first seriously took up science as a profession
for example the Bengali Bhadralok okay the
process of cultural redefinition automatically
began. What is that cultural redefinition
cultural re definition implies a prerequisite
for the legitimating of the new knowledge
system okay.
I mean I am trying to bank on the works of
Dhru Raina, Ashier Fauna Feeb, Deepak Kumar,
E Haribabu, V V Krishna and others even JPS
Oberoi, JD Bernal and others to look at in
continuation of the reactant to the attempts
of both Orientals and missionaries the Bhadralok
had established the Mahavidhyalaya better
known as the Hindu College in Calcutta in
1816 the purpose was to cultivate European
literature in European science without any
assistance from the government.
The original curriculum comprised not only
reading but also instruction in history geography
chronology astronomy chemistry and other sciences
the college was managed exclusively by the
Calcutta Medrano it was open only to sons
of Hindu families please remember it was open
only to sons of Hindu families there lies
a sense of caste discrimination and gender
bias okay. Despite this its enrollment despite
this its enrollment figures enrollment figures
had touched 400/1828.
And within two decades of the opening of the
Hindu College the demand for English education
had led to the creation of a respectable number
of English schools originating with the natives
and deriving resources exclusively from them
okay this. In this way the Hindu College was
set up and run by the Bhadralok as a scientific
institution that could not only introduce
the application of modern science and technology
to the Indians but also show but also show
them the new horizons of life as a whole thus
extending the opportunities to pursue science
education and a carrier in science.
But the British were not interested please
remember the British were not were not at
all interested to introduce science education
into the Indian soil as a part of democratizes
they opened a Sanskrit College in Calcutta
in 1824 to teach Sanskrit rhetoric sacred
literature law and grammar to Bengali children.
However this was not what encouraged the new
elite I mean elite when I say I mean cultural
elite through education elites through education
okay.
In this regard the name of Rahman Roy Raja
Ram Mohan Roy figures first it is clear that
the colonial government was not inclined to
introduce science education and inculcate
scientific temper among the native whereas
attempts on the part of the native intelligence
here were to promote precisely the activities
which the colonial government was not interested
okay, I mean no account of India's development
to modern times would be complete without
a mention of Raja Rahman Roy and a district
right from Bengal whose social reforms in
the 18th and 19th centuries contributed towards
narrowing the gap in attitude toward Science
and Technology among the Indians a term that
is used these days but which was not used
during the Mons Iran though it advocated though
he particularly advocated it in many of his
speeches and works is scientific temper okay.
I mean this scientific tip such notion of
scientific input teaches us to sift the available
evidence objectively and base our accents
on a rational approach Rahman was a rationalist
in his advocacy of reason and freedom of thought
his criticism of the existing religion and
its rigid practices and cost barriers was
inspired by his a desire to make religion
consistent with the changing world of his
times.
That that attitude is even more relevant today
as the influence of science and technology
on our lives in increasing rapidly okay, and
in and we all know if you if you want to read
the way he wrote to I mean when the British
went on opening science Sanskrit colleges
Ramon in his all to commerce address, so the
11th of December 1823 pleaded for the instruction
of European sciences he pained he wrote like
this that as the improvement of the native
population I mean Indian population is the
object of the government it will consequently
promote a more liberal and enlightened system
of instruction embracing mathematics natural
philosophy I mean I mean enlightened more
rational more liberal more enlightened system
of instructs and embracing mathematics natural
philosophy I mean natural philosophy I mean
science right.
We have discussed earlier okay only in 19th
century were well coined the term science
we have already discussed this okay, chemistry
and Anatomy with other useful sciences which
may be accomplished with the some proposed
by employing a few gentlemen of talents and
learning educated in Europe and providing
a college furnished with the necessary books
instrumental and other apparatuses and in
1827 the Hindu College introduced into its
curriculum mechanics hydrostatics optics astronomy
mathematics anatomy and medicine all in English
then almost half of its 91 students opted
to study these though they were not compulsory
subjects.
In addition on the whole Hindu students trained
in the in the traditional manner not have
any difficulty in responding to the Western
coursework and indeed the curriculum seems
to correspond closely to the mother look ideal
of Education it refers to a fusion of a fusion
of the traditional Sanskrit studies of our
rhetoric sacred literature law and grammar
with those of Western literature and science
okay.
When you when you look at this when you when
you look at these the Bengal province okay
I mean the in Bengal you will find that Hindu
College nowadays known as Presidency College
I mean presidency University now, Hindu College
and the significant and the role played by
the Hindu College in democratizing science
and we must understand this which is even
relevant today let us now shift our attention
to from Bengal province to the the northern
province I mean the Delhi College okay now
it is known as the University of Delhi okay.
I mean Delhi College played a significant
role in the dissemination of modern science
it was originally established as Madrassa
–i- Ghaziuddin by Nwab Ghaziuddin Firoz
Jung in 1772 was rechristened Delhi College
in 1825 okay, the college was set up to translate
scientific books into local languages in general,
and Urdu in particular okay. The Oriental
Department of the college carried out studies
in modern education through the medium of
Urdu 1835 when the new British policy veered
away from the concept of modern education
through Indian languages Delhi College took
a bold stride in the reverse direction okay.
The educational committee was created the
educational committee was created to translate
into Urdu scientific books then taught in
European schools the English faculty of the
college launched the Society for the promotion
of knowledge in India through the medium of
Vernaculars which subsequently came to be
known as the Delhi College Vernacular translation
society and it translated as many as 125 books
these included chiefly Greek classics person
works and scientific treatises in to Urdu
all these were translated in the space of
about 20 years the Society for stirred a rich
and multifaceted education and transformed
Urdu in what from a language of poetry to
the transmitter of Western scientific idea
okay.
And the new emphasis the new emphasis on Western
science attracted several young minds and
in a short span Delhi College had produced
a few geniuses like master Ram Chandra okay
his work on different culture his work on
differential calculus was published and noticed
in Europe Master Ram Chandra was not only
an erudite scholar of Delhi college but also
became a prolific teacher at the college,
he started a paper in would do called the
Howardel Nagerin now which played an important
role in the dissemination of modern science
in India he also edited two more of dailies
earliest Urdu newspapers mean namely the Muhabbahind
and the Keronous the sethen the Muhabbahind
aimed that wide readership whereas Keronous
sethen later published various articles on
scientific subjects.
Delhi College had a well-defined school curriculum
which included a local language on to this
were drafted European philosophy and students
at Delhi college so clear-cut incline s and
towards the scientific rather than literary
education in Bengal a suddenly literary enthusiasm
for the newly discovered English novelists
and poets swept everything else away for translations
into local languages some I mean some European
teachers like you know good throws a Frenchman
and Springer a German will be remembered for
their sense of involvement.
Probably this was the reason why learning
in English was not as in Bengal regarded as
vitally important, indeed Delhi College made
a laudable and pioneering effort in the dissemination
of modern science through the medium of local
language they said an immediate effect of
increasing the accessibility to modern science
to those who did not have exposure to the
English I mean to the English language okay,
and so on and the within northern province
you will also find the Aligarh scientific
society which is now known as Aligarh Muslim
University sir Syed Ahmad Khan okay established
the Aligarh scientific society the attempt
was in the form of establishment of the society
Aligarh scientific society in1864 it was not
only an attempt in importing scientific knowledge
but also an effort in the direction of socio-cultural
change in India.
Sir Syed started his career as a clerk with
the East India Company in 1838, he qualified
three years later as a sub judge and served
in the judicial department at various places
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan had a versatile personality
and his position in the Judicial Department
left him time to be active in many fields
his career as an author in Urdu started at
the at the age of 23 which religious tracts
in 1847 he brought out noteworthy book author
Hashanah did I mean monuments of the great
on the antiquities of Delhi okay.
He becomes by establishing schools at Moradabad
in 1858 Guipure in 1863 and a more ambitious
undertaking was the foundation of the Aligarh
scientific society in 1864 which published
translations of many educational texts and
he stood bilingual journal in Urdu and English,
the society the Aligarh scientific society
translated around 40 European books dealing
with history political science geography material
O G electricity algebra geometry calculus
hydrology era culture and so on okay.
It is important the objects of the society
where to translate into such languages as
may be in common among the people, secondly
to search for and publish rare and valuable
oriental works no religious work will come
under the notice of the society.
The society was absolutely secure ok to publish
whenever the society thinks it desirable there
any newspaper gadgets journal periodicals
or medicine which may be calculated to improve
phonetic mind to have delivered in their meetings
from time to time lectures on scientific or
other useful subjects illustrated when possible
by scientific instruments okay. From these
these objectives it is clear that the society
was highly secure in alcohol it completely
eliminated religion from its purview which
was something rare during the 19th century
the society also had certain political objectives
okay, it sought to foster and encourage the
growth of an enlightened public spirit the
society also wanted to introduce improved
methods of agriculture in India.
So that the economic conditions of the people
might improve the activities of the society
may be classified into four parts one translation
of Western literature into the into the local
Indian languages okay secondly practical attempts
to popularize and democratize mechanized farming
thirdly delivering lectures on topics of common
interest and fourthly highlighting the socio-political
problems of the country okay.
They had they had I mean we did they had a
library or reading room of its own the books
were mainly donated to the society by different
Indians as well by foreigners Sir Syed Ahmad
Khan himself donated a large number of books
to the library the society subscribed to44
journals and magazines in 1866 of those 18
were in English and the rest in Urdu Persian
Arabic as well as Sanskrit okay and moving
from the Aligarh scientific society to the
Bihar scientific society okay.
I mean the Imdad Ali established the Bihar
scientific society okay to Democrat at European
science in India in the Imdad Ali was not
opposed to English education but he emphasized
that the society should not bring in religion
into the scope of its inquiry he was a deputy
collected he had started publishing pamphlets
and then a regular journal at attacking Taji
Wole Acolock and calling on Muslims to boycotts
or some Sir Syed Ahmed reform movement in
dissolves was of the opinion I mean Imdad
Ali was of the no opinion that Indian students
did not acquire properly the knowledge of
Western science and technology when it was
taught through the medium of foreign language
consequently they failed to transmit adequately
their newly acquired scientific knowledge
to their countrymen for lack of suitable expressions
in the Indian languages okay.
I mean I mean for the purpose of spreading
European scientific knowledge through the
Indian languages ended early founded an association
in 1868 at Muzaffer port called the British
Indian Association later the I mean the later
the name was changed to the Bihar scientific
society and the principal aim of the Bihar
scientific society was diffusion of all kinds
of knowledge throughout India. The emphasis
was on bringing Western arts and sciences
within the reach of even the lowest denominations
of the society through translations in the
local medium of food do thus creating equality
of opportunities to learn science you know
in a stratified society.
The Bihar scientific society suggested to
the senate of the Calcutta University that
the standards prescribed for the university
examination is adopted for the Vernacular
examination and science be taught in Urdu
or Hindi okay. I mean science was democratized
by translating from different language systems
especially English to different vernacular
languages okay.
In Victorian England the Royal Institution
of London served the served as a scientific
home for a host of scientists like Davy, Faraday,
Tyndall, and Huxley, and after Faraday's death
James Dewar it was a place for visiting scholars
who spent short periods as thinkers as workers
in its laboratory the Royal Institution of
London was one of the important components
of the institutionalizes institutional infrastructure
for science in Victorian England on the other
hand calculator had no on the contrary Calcutta
had no such institution during the 19th century
thus even while science evoked interest in
the capital British of capital of British
India I mean Calcutta okay.
There was not yet an institutional ambience
that would induce Indians to practice things
to do sights the reputation and character
of the Royal Institution of London and how
you had however secured the imagination or
at least Dr. Mahindra Lal Sarkar I mean Sarkar
was born in the same year1838 in which Rahman
passed away okay, he was potentially a Ligety
of the new learning he studied at Hindu College
later he entered Calcutta Medical College
in 1855which has established the formidable
course of studies in the sciences circuit
truly became the torchbearer of the spread
of scientific education after the demise of
Ramon, Mahindra Lal Sirkar was thus predicts
I mean he was a product of the Hindu college
that had borne witness to the event of learning
science education.
He obtained foster license yet in medicine
and surgery in 1860 and then in 1963 that
degree of Doctor of Medicine a rare achievement
for an Indian at that time in 1869 Mahindra
Lal Sirkar began broaching the project of
a National Science Association to the public
through pamphlets letters to the editor of
the Hindu patriot and public addresses, in
1876 she founded the Indian Association for
the cultivation of science okay, I mean being
Sirkar’s brainchild the Indian Association
for the cultivation of science enjoyed the
state patronage private donations and his
own life’s savings it was financed from
public subscriptions and had the support of
Sir Richard temple they left the then left
union governor of Bengal okay.
I mean and during that period the Indian I
mean I mean you know a Sirkar during that
period Sirkar felt that the under development
of India was due to its backwardness in science
India had the potential to master modern science
the Indians had shown themselves to master
science in the past in I mean the way he wrote
we want an institution which will combine
the character the scope and objects of the
Royal Institution of London and of the British
Association for the Advancement of science.
We want an institution which shall be for
the instruction of the of the masses and we
wish that the institution be entirely under
netic management and control not British management
but the native management and control okay,
it is very important to understand this okay
and I mean he decided that Indians are Mahindra
Lal Sirkar are desired that Indians should
cultivate science not only for economic betterment
but also for their region of course of after
persistent efforts he succeeded in establishing
the Indian Association for the cultivation
of science in 1876 later the Indian Association
for the cultivation of science okay evolved
into a world-famous Research Institute it
had a lecture all by 1884 and a laboratory
was constituted in 1891 with donations from
the maharaja of Vijayanagaram at that time.
It organized a series of lectures by Prafulla
Chandraray Jagadish, Chandra Bose or Satoshi
Mukerji Pramat Noth Bose father Lafont and
many other distinguished scientists it is
best known for its sponsorship of the work
of C V Raman physicist who was later awarded
the Nobel Prize for the discovery named after
him the Raman effect, if we if we critically
review I mean if we have a critical overview
of the activities of all these scientific
institutions starting from the Hindu College
the early good scientific society the Bihar
scientific society and the Delhi College the
Indian Association for the cultivation of
science if you look at this only Indian Indian
Association for the cultivation of science
could manage to survive okay this shows how
a man of unusual drive and determination Sarkar
watch.
The Indian Association for the cultivation
of science grew from strength to strength
and celebrated its centenary in 1976 as the
National Institute of Science is it remains
some monument to the memory of Sarkar who
passed away in 1900 and for the in any the
Indian Association for the cultivation of
science okay as visualized by Sir car was
an institution for the masses with full audience
participation where any lower of science could
come and work the way it was felt necessary
by the scientist being Binger National Association
created entirely by private donation the Indian
Association for the cultivation of science
did not have any government control.
But it met with some resistance the Hindu
orthodoxy thought that the ISCS the Indian
Association for the cultivation of science
was attacking the Hindu at the traditional
Hindu teachings a large section of the public
also felt that this kind of pursuit of abstract
science had no meaning for a poor country
like India.
The cry of the day was utilitarian science
but mine results are cars Unser reply response
watch without scientists how can one have
science as I see it the historical the historical
survey then in the twentieth century you have
seen the Indian Institute of Science Bangalore
the Tata Institute of fundamental research
in Mumbai and many CSIRO laboratories many
universities came up who try to pursue science
education in India but the historical survey
indicates that that democratization of scientific
knowledge okay in terms of access to modern
scientific knowledge creation of equality
of opportunities to do science and so on.
In the colonial period began to occur not
because of the colonial government but in
spite of the colonial government okay intelligence
they are drawn from different religious groups.
Realize the significance of modern science
for material and cultural transformation of
India and attempted to democratize science
in their own way by establishing scientific
institutions and using the local or vernacular
language as the medium of democratic ideas,
here I would like to see the building of such
scientific institutions by the cultural elite
during the colonial period as a part of the
process of democratization of scientific knowledge.
In post-colonial India which we will discuss
through the science through some different
science policies in India in the lectures
to follow that how in post-colonial India
the whole responsibility of democratizing
science was by default taken over by the state
it is due to the fact that scientific institutions
and societies have partly relegated this inescapable
task which they had carried out within to
the enthusiasm and pride okay during the colonial
period as a part of the national struggle
against imperialism okay democratization of
science in India is an unfinished task even
now as such modern science is being critiqued
from the point of view of environment I mean
genetic engineering research and human rights
activations okay.
The process of democratization ought to address
these questions okay democratization may be
institutionalized in the process of science
policy making I mean which must be which should
be abroad-based democratic transparent and
participatory process as there is a Chinese
saying that you know tell me and I will forget
to me and I may remember and involve me and
I will understand this participation the genetic
participation local participation is important
so far as the question of democratization
of scientific knowledge is concerned and to
what extent science has been democratized
in Indian context can be seen can be examined
by dwelling up on different science policies
in Indian context okay.
Starting with the scientific police policy
resolution of 1950 eight then we will discuss
the technology policy statement of 1983 then
we will discuss the science and technology
policy of 2003 then we will discuss the science
technology and innovation policy of 2013 okay
but before discussing science technology and
innovation policy of 2013 I mean while discussing
will also discuss different aspects of patenting
IPR regime I mean briefly to make sense of
what counts such innovation today I mean how
developing countries including India have
become or her have compliance with the US
dictated international patent regime okay
in the lectures to follow will have detailed
discussions on science policies in India,
thank you.
