A FIFTEEN-thousand strong group of scientists, Nobel laureates, researchers, politicians and economists are deliberating at the country’s largest science network in Odisha. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh inaugurated the 99^th Indian science Congress (ISC) on Tuesday with a reference to an important shortcoming – China has overtaken India in scientific research. “Country’s relative position in the world of science had been declining and we have been overtaken by countries like China,” Singh told the gathering, reported The Times of India.

The event, seen as a landmark event in the advancement of science, technology and research, has been the focus of scientists and researchers but the world doesn’t end there. At the end of the day, major and solid investments in grass roots research in science and technology must be made to make sure that we keep growing and taking over from the competing nations like China and Japan.

Though we have moved ahead in rank but as Prime Minister also said that solid government investments are not there. We can take cue from China that has moved ahead of Japan in investment in R&D, by increasing its R&D investment by 10% each year for the last 10 years, sustaining this rapid growth rate through the global recession. Battelle estimates that China will invest $154 billion in R&D in 2011, passing Japan's $144 billion, according to The Energy Collective website.

The website adds: “A major reason for the proliferation of multinational corporations' R&D activities abroad is the perceived synergy between R&D activities and manufacturing capabilities and local market opportunities in emerging economies.

“For instance, U.S. multinational Applied Materials built its new private solar R&D facility (the world's largest and most advanced) in China to take advantage of local research talent, manufacturing capabilities, and to near to its largest market.

Drawing inspiration from the British Conference on the advancement of science, the first Indian congress was held in 1914 at the Asiatic society in Kolkata in which more than 100 scientists participated.

According to The Economic Times, this year's edition will witness participation from some of the brightest minds in the science world, including Nobel laureates like Rolf M. Zinkernagel, Kurt Wüthrich and Richard R. Ernst. The five-day event will see technical sessions, plenary sessions, vision talks, panel discussions, public lectures, a 'Pride of India' expo and other programmes.

Spending on the defence equipment is fine but country needs to focus more on indigenous research and the tapping of talent pool and make sure that they don’t leave the country for better avenues. Establishing huge research institutes in collaboration with private players could go a long way in using the potential that is rusting on the roadside across the country.