Mysuru varsity to host 103rd Indian Science Congress

The University of Mysuru will host the 103rd Science Congress from January 3 to 7, 2016. The congress will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The event with the focal theme “Science and Technology for Indigenous Development in India” will see the participation of 15,000 delegates, it was stated at a press conference here on Wednesday organised by M M Activ Sci-Tech Communications.

The congress will feature lectures by Nobel laureates and 450 top institutions showcasing cutting-edge innovations under the Pride of India Science Mega Expo. Karnataka too will showcase its R&D and innovative leadership. There will be a Hall of Fame dedicated to the late President Dr Abdul Kalam.

The prestigious congress is returning to Karnataka after 13 years. The University of Mysuru is hosting this in the year of its centenary. Nearly 500 eminent scientists and experts will address the gathering.

The five-day congress will also feature genesis symposium, Vigyan Jyot, vision talks, women and children science congress, young scientists’ award, ISCA awards, science communicators’ meet and public lectures.

A special pavilion will be dedicated to the legend of Karnataka, the late Bharat Ratna Sir M Visvesvaraya. The science congress is being supported by Infosys which has agreed to host 600 people on its campus in Mysuru.

IT, BT and Science and Technology Minister S R Patil said the State government had doubled the outlay for science in four years from Rs 30 crore to Rs 60 crore. The minister said the budget was not enough and he would urge the chief minister for more funds in the coming year.

He said three science centres were being opened at Pilikula near Mangaluru, Dharwad and Mysuru.

Sub-regional centres

Sub-regional science centres are coming up at Vijayapura, Davangere, Tumakuru, Udupi, Chikkamagaluru, Chikkodi and Chittapur. Mini planetariums are being planned at Bagalkote, Pilikula and Mysuru. Four mobile planetariums are being planned at Mysuru, Bengaluru, Kalaburagi and Belagavi. District science centres too would be opened at Ballari, Raichur and Bidar.

A major science gallery is also being set up in Bengaluru which will be in the league of galleries in Dublin and London. Mysuru University vice chancellor K S Rangappa said the number of participants in the congress had increased from 2,000 in the past to 15,000 now. The number of papers being presented has gone up from 35 to 2,000.

The congress is being held in Mysuru after 34 years. An attraction of the congress will be the Vigyan Jyot (Flame of Knowledge) that would travel across the country to spread the message of science. Industry and private sectors will also participate in a big way.