Mumbai scientists to protest against cuts in research funding on August 9

mumbai

Updated: Aug 03, 2017 01:14 IST

Scientists from research institutes across Mumbai will take part in a rally, ‘March for Science’ on August 9 to protest against cuts in research funding.

The march will start from August Kranti Maidan at 4pm and end at Girgaum Chowpatty.

The March for Science movement started globally in April.

MC Arunan, who heads the Collaborative Undergraduate Biology Education at Homi Bhabha Research Center, will spearhead the rally in Mumbai . “There is a need to inculcate evidence-based science among young students,” said Arunan.

Another aim of the rally will be to urge the government to increase its budget for science and technology, which is currently 0.8% of GDP. So far, around 200 scientists across the city’s research institutes have signed up for the rally, Arunan said.

Abhijit Majumdar, assistant professor at IIT-B’s department of chemical engineering, said, “If there is an attack on science, the community needs to come together,” he said.

Dr Deepak Modi, a scientist at the National Institute of Research in Reproductive Biology, Parel, said the government needs to focus on fundamental science more than applied science.