<p> While the Nobel Prize may be widely regarded as a recognition of excellence in a particular field of study, Prof Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, structural biologist who won this coveted prize for Chemistry in 2009, said on Saturday that one could not “judge science by Nobel prizes.”<br /><br /></p>.<p>Ramakrishnan was speaking to Deccan Herald after delivering a talk at the IISc. Replying to a question on why India and Indian institutions were not able to produce many Nobel laureates, Ramakrishnan said, “There are a lot of Indians doing quite important work. Supposing I had not won the Noble Prize and somebody had, does that mean I am not a good scientist? It is a silly attitude. You cannot judge science by Nobel prizes. I am sorry. You will have to look into what people are doing and if it is interesting or not,” he said. <br /><br />On being asked to give his opinion whether Indian institutions were doing such “interesting” work, Ramakrishnan said, “Many of them are and many of them are not.You have to find out who is doing good work and where and why it is interesting.” <br /> <br />On the attention received by the Nobel prize, Prof Venkatraman said, “This is some mania with the Indian press. I think you have to look at who is doing good work here.”<br /><br />The controversy surrounding the Indian Science Congress, 2015, held in Mumbai in January had been strongly criticised by a number of scientists. Prof Ramakrishnan himself was quoted in a newspaper, saying that there was a need to keep science free from influences. When asked about his expectations from the Indian Science Congress, 2016, scheduled to be held in Mysuru, he said that he did not want to comment as he was not speaking at the event. <br /><br /></p>
<p> While the Nobel Prize may be widely regarded as a recognition of excellence in a particular field of study, Prof Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, structural biologist who won this coveted prize for Chemistry in 2009, said on Saturday that one could not “judge science by Nobel prizes.”<br /><br /></p>.<p>Ramakrishnan was speaking to Deccan Herald after delivering a talk at the IISc. Replying to a question on why India and Indian institutions were not able to produce many Nobel laureates, Ramakrishnan said, “There are a lot of Indians doing quite important work. Supposing I had not won the Noble Prize and somebody had, does that mean I am not a good scientist? It is a silly attitude. You cannot judge science by Nobel prizes. I am sorry. You will have to look into what people are doing and if it is interesting or not,” he said. <br /><br />On being asked to give his opinion whether Indian institutions were doing such “interesting” work, Ramakrishnan said, “Many of them are and many of them are not.You have to find out who is doing good work and where and why it is interesting.” <br /> <br />On the attention received by the Nobel prize, Prof Venkatraman said, “This is some mania with the Indian press. I think you have to look at who is doing good work here.”<br /><br />The controversy surrounding the Indian Science Congress, 2015, held in Mumbai in January had been strongly criticised by a number of scientists. Prof Ramakrishnan himself was quoted in a newspaper, saying that there was a need to keep science free from influences. When asked about his expectations from the Indian Science Congress, 2016, scheduled to be held in Mysuru, he said that he did not want to comment as he was not speaking at the event. <br /><br /></p>
