Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called for the need of greater academic autonomy, more focus on research, a well defined R&D policy and the need to nurture future generations of scientists.

Modi was delivering the inaugural address of the 102nd Indian Science Congress at Mumbai University.

Speaking on the occasion, he said the Centre will ensure greater accessibility of funding and also the approval of various research programs in the country.

Maharashtra Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao (from left), Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavisduring the 102nd Indian Science Congress at Mumbai University

“We must revive the romance of science in the society and rekindle the love for it. In this endeavour, you will have no greater support than me. Science is a product of the human brain but is driven by the human heart,” the prime minister said.

The five-day Indian Science Congress will feature interactive sessions with several world-renowned scientists and Nobel laureates.

The event was embroiled in a controversy earlier following the decisions of the organisers to push some of Modi’s pet projects during the summit.

The event, which has been themed ‘science and technology for human development’, has the prime minister’s ‘make in India’ as the overriding theme.

A special session has been planned on the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and another four-hour session on ancient Indian sciences, aviation technology and the advances in medical surgery.

Modi, who was accompanied by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister of Science & Technology Dr Harsh Vardhan, refused to make any comments on the issue.

Instead, he called for greater involvement in research and development to ensure more ethical and socially conscious employment of science in the Indian economy.

The prime minister quoted former PM Jawaharlal Nehru to emphasise on the significance of science in India.

“Putting science and technology at the top of our national priorities is the need of the hour. This will ensure a sustainable and prosperous country. Digital connectivity should become as much a basic right. The scientific diaspora must contribute by guiding and teaching the doctorate scholars in the country,” he said while adding that various initiatives like Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) must be taken up to fund more research projects.

Modi said he had placed science and technology at the forefront of the nation’s diplomatic engagement.

(From left) Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, PM Modi, Vidyasagar Rao, CM Fadnavis amd RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan with eminent bankers at the ‘Gyan Sabha — The Bankers’ Retreat’ in Pune

“I feel humble by the work scientists do. Since Independence, they have created outstanding institutions with limited resources while alleviating some of the most difficult challenges of human development. Their (scientists’) efforts are instrumental in increasing food production, border security and industrial progress,” the prime minister said.

The prime minister was of the opinion that more resilient agriculture, appropriate and affordable technologies for rural areas, improving healthcare, making clean technology affordable, and making India a leading manufacturing nation and a hub for knowledge and technology-intensive industries, were some of the key objectives before Indian scientists.