Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the TIFAC- CORE Meet-2007 organised by Manipal Life Sciences Centre of Manipal University on Friday, Mr Chidambaram said that technology is the critical dimension of the innovation capacity of a country and that a variety of legal, financial and cultural dimensions are involved in this procedure. “The challenge for India is to achieve ‘coherent synergy’ among these diverse programmes, to keep programmes within very short term goals consistent with a long term direction for the country,” Mr Chidambaram said and opined that India can become a global leader in innovation, provided it uses technology with foresight to make the right choices in a national perspective.

Mr Chidambaram said that development without security is vulnerable and security without development is meaningless. Two important criterions for the development of a nation are per capita energy consumption and female literacy. India is developed only when quality of rural India becomes comparable to non urban areas of developed countries, he added.

Pro Chancellor of Manipal University Dr H S Ballal presided over the function. Vice Chancellor Dr R P Warrier, National Research Professor and Hon Advisor of Manipal University Dr M S Valaithan and Pepsi Co Executive Vice President Dr N Bhatia were present.