Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted India’s scientific community on Monday on the occasion of National Science Day.
In a post on Twitter, Modi said, “National Science Day greetings to all scientists and science enthusiasts. Let us reaffirm our commitment towards fulfilling our collective scientific responsibility and leveraging the power of science for human progress.”
The Centre also announced a series of webinars to facilitate the implementation of science and technology-related announcements made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Union Budget announced at the start of February.
National Science Day is celebrated annually on February 28 based on a theme. This year’s theme is “Integrated Approach in science and technology for Sustainable Future”.
National Science Day is celebrated to commemorate the discovery of the Raman Effect by Nobel laureate and Physicist CV Raman on this day in 1928.
In 1986, the National Council for Science & Technology asked the Government of India to designate February 28 as National Science Day. Since 1987, the event has been celebrated all over the country in schools, colleges, universities and other academic, scientific, technical, medical and research institutions.
The celebration includes public speeches, radio, TV, science movies, science exhibitions, research demonstration, debates, and many more activities.
Chandrashekhara Venkata Raman was a physicist from Tamil Nadu. His work in the field of light scattering earned him Nobel Prize for Physics in 1930. This phenomenon was named the Raman effect. In 1954, he was honoured with India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna.
Themes for National Science Day since 1999
1999: Our Changing Earth
2000: Recreating Interest in Basic Science
2001: Information Technology for Science Education
2002: Wealth From Waste
2003: 25 years of IVF and 50 years of DNA
2004: Encouraging Scientific Awareness in Community
2005: Celebrating Physics
2006: Nurture Nature for our future
2007: More Crop Per Drop
2008: Understanding the Planet Earth
2009: Expanding Horizons of Science
2010: Science & Technology for Sustainable Development
2011: Chemistry in Daily Life
2012: Clean Energy Options and Nuclear Safety
2013: Genetically Modified Crops and Food Security
2014: Fostering Scientific Temper
2015: Science for Nation Building
2016: Scientific Issues for Development of the Nation
2017: Science and Technology for Specially Abled Persons
2018: Science and Technology for a sustainable future
2019: Science for People, and People for Science
2020: Women in Science
2021: Future of STI- Impacts on Education, Skills, and Work
2022: Integrated Approach in science and technology for Sustainable Future
