Dr. Kishore Paknikar

The question is no longer whether scientists can produce more but whether science can rediscover what is enough. There was a time when scientists struggled not for recognition, but for survival. Research grants were scarce, journals were limited, laboratories were modest, instruments were primitive, and communication moved at the speed of postal mail. A scientist often spent years conducting experiments before publishing a single paper. Citations were not counted daily. Rankings did not...

On Technology Day, India’s future as a technological power will depend as much on a culture of maintenance as on innovation itself. National Technology Day, observed on May 11, commemorates India’s successful Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998, a powerful demonstration of scientific capability, strategic ambition, and sustained national effort. These milestones rightly celebrate innovation and breakthroughs. Yet they also prompt a deeper reflection: such achievements rest not only on moments of...

What does it mean to democratise science? At its simplest, it means widening participation, ensuring that the opportunity to ask meaningful questions, access resources, and contribute to knowledge is not confined to a narrow set of institutions or individuals. It means that scientific talent, wherever it exists, can find expression. It also means that public investment in science serves not only excellence at the top but also capacity across the system. India’s scientific potential is not...