Prioritize research in basic science: BITS Pilani director Dr G Raghuram
‘World needs more scientists than technicians’
Mangaluru, June 22: Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences (BITS) Pilani KK Birla Campus director Dr G Raghuram said that world is now required creative scientists who can develop technology to utilize the resources effectively, than technicians.
Delivering an endowment lecture on ‘How to prepare for future?’, organized by the St. Aloysius College Science Department here on Friday, he said that “it is a good sign that nowadays, youth are interested in research in basic science”. India should not concentrate only on skills development, but along with skills development, it should also develop the creativity and research attitude among youth. So education institutions should take up this as their priority, he advised.
Much needed skills development is possible only when four important disciplines like science, technology, engineering and mathematics are taken into consideration. The students have plenty of opportunities and they should choose the field they are interested in and achieve, he said.
“If we tapped just 1.5 per cent of the Sun light getting on the earth properly, the entire world would get the power requirement. Though we have more than 75 per cent water on the earth, we have been facing water scarcity and this problem could be solved by converting the salt water into sweet water with the help of available technology. Such inventions are the need of the hour”, he said.
Future industrial revolution would happen because of the new-age technologies. By 2034, the robots would do more than 42 per cent works. Revolutionary tools like ‘Internet of Things’ would bring a sea change in the life of people. According to a recent study, more than 94 per cent IT graduates are not employable. Only solution for this problem is to give importance to research in basic science, he said.
“Based on the new-age demands, our learning system should also be changed. Instead of solving the problem, we need to inculcate among students the curiosity and inspiration. Then a new perspective is possible to find solution for a problem”, he said.
Along with the science, humanity is also important. Learning social science, art and languages are also necessary. Youth should concentrate on interdisciplinary study and world languages. In the process of making students competent to fight in the competitive world, the society has been killing their creativity and imagination, he said.
Presiding over the programme, College principal Rev. Dr Praveen Martis SJ said that “desire, dream and determination would take a person to success. The students should develop questioning attitude. If you dream, you can work on it and achieve it”, he said.
Xavier Block director Prof John D’Silva welcomed. Registrar AM Narahari, Star College Scheme coordinator Dr Ronald Nazareth, programme coordinator Dr Narayan Bhat and others were present. Students who scored more marks in the last PU exam were felicitated on the occasion.
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US Consulate in Dubai reportedly attacked
Dubai: Smoke was seen rising from an area near the United States Consulate in Dubai, according to witness accounts cited by Reuters.
There was no immediate official confirmation on the extent of damage or whether there were any casualties in the incident.
Earlier, the US embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, was also attacked. Authorities reported damage to the premises, but no casualties were recorded.
The developments come amid heightened tensions in the region, with Iran continuing to target US interests in the Middle East following deadly attacks launched on Saturday by Israel and the United States.
Near US embassy in Dubai pic.twitter.com/z5VTZNVxNO
— Sahil Shah (@thesahilsshah) March 3, 2026
