There is a general opinion in India that life as a researcher or a scientist in the country is difficult. You have been a scientist all your life — what is your take on this?
I don’t think so — this is a misconstrued belief. The hindrances, in fact, make things easier, because even minor achievements will be celebrated. Getting funding is easy and everything is easy. Of course, there are difficulties faced in all careers — this is not particular to the life of a scientist. But I would say becoming a scientist is somewhat easier.
You yourself are an IIT graduate. What was the main challenge you faced during the course of your research career?
I don’t remember any challenge that I faced. I think the IIT undergraduate programme prepares you so well that the rest becomes very easy.
In the current scenario, we find that the percentage of IIT graduates going for research is very less compared to what it was before. What do you think is the reason for this?
The numbers of those going for research may be the same — probably more — but yes, the percentage is less. Today there is a lure for easy money that you can get after graduation. This problem is limited to the undergraduate students. But that lure passes away — after four to five years, I’ve seen that they want to come back to R&D. Sometimes, however, it is too late to come back because of family issues. PG students don’t have the same issue. They can work in R&D in companies. There are also many people who have left engineering and are doing well in management. Even in our times, people used to do so.
As you said, you are a part of the Scientific Advisory Council to the PM. How do you think will the policies of the new government promote research and create more research opportunities for students in colleges all over India?
It is too early to say, but there is reason to be optimistic, given the priority that the new government gives to science and technology.
What are your thoughts on creating more IITs versus improving existing ones, both in terms of research and teaching?
Well, sixteen IITs have been created, and we must strengthen them. We need to look at the new policies; their implications are not clear as yet. They may work out well or may not. I don’t know. Once the policies are clearer, we can comment on them better.
By creating new IITs, you are creating more opportunities for the students, but how can you improve the existing IIT system?
By ensuring quality everywhere. I don’t think that is too much of a challenge. Again, I don’t want to comment, as this policy is quite new. The point here is that five new IITs were created in the 1990s — how far can we expand? Are we going to overexpand and dilute quality? From 5, we have already gone to 7. Can we go to 25? I would say the ideal number is 16-17.
What would you say about the quality of the new IITs compared to the older ones?
They are running quite well and coming up. I would say IIT Hyderabad, IIT Gandhinagar, IIT Mandi are doing very well.
The Lifetime Achievement Award is conferred upon senior faculty for their outstanding contributions to science, research and development. What advice would you give to younger faculty in the department to achieve similar heights?
Firstly, I think what appears to be impossible is achievable through technology. Number two, IITs have been designed to lead, and to solve the almost impossible problems of society or industry.
One thing I’ve noticed is that none of my Ph.D. students has worked in the same area as his or her predecessor. We continuously explore new things, slowly jumping from one thing to another. This can be disadvantageous because every area is new, and you may not have not done any background work in it.
I remember my grandfather telling me a story. He was a Gandhian; a follower of Vinoba Bhave. He told me that in 1954 or so, Nehru announced the formation of IIT’s, the elite institutions. Amongst the Gandhians, there was a misbelief that we had fought a freedom movement that was all about egalitarianism, and here there was an element of elitism in creating the elite institutions. Is that good for the country? They went to Vinoba Bhave and he said, I don’t have the answer, you ponder over it and discuss it amongst the people in the villages that you live in. He did not make any immediate or rash judgement; he just asked them to think about it.
Four to five days later, they came back and had a discussion, and they came to the conclusion that elite institutions like the IIT’s have a place in India just like Nalanda had a place in ancient India. Even in times of war and famine, Nalanda continued to get the best students and the best resources and continued to flourish because it was supposed to train leaders. So, the IITs are supposed to do just that. He also came to another conclusion:The IITs are getting the best students, best teachers and best resources. If they cannot solve the country’s problems, nobody else can. So, the students who graduate from these institutes, the faculty of these institutes, can never say, “But what can I do?”
You can! You have to try to do something impossible. When you encounter a problem like this, don’t give up. Focus on it. One day, you will come up with a solution. This what I have been doing throughout my life and that is what my advice to youngsters would be. Never say, “But what can I do?” Go ahead and make India a better place to live.
But so many people from the IITs leave the country …
It’s all right. That is their dharma. They will do what they can. I am addressing those who are in IIT, the faculty who are in IIT, a lot of whom are ex-IITians. They are the best. They need to solve the problems of the country. They should never say, “Why should I not get this?” but only, “What can I give?” They have got enough– they received IIT education, and they have gotten into IIT as faculty members. Now they need to give, contribute. Remember that our country is a country with a very large number of poor people.
