Science has been integral part of Indian culture, tradition: Venkaiah Naidu

He said ancient India was known for rich scientific contributions—right from the use of zero, precise calculation of eclipses, a concept of atom, to "Shushruta Samhita" involving complex surgery and "Charak" explicitly describing diseases, their causes and modes of treatment.

The civilisations of Mohenjo Daro and Harappa are ample proof that ancient India was more advanced than the rest of the world at that time, Naidu said.

"Our Indian weavers used to weave clothes and put them in a matchbox and export. that's the history. So, that means there is inherent knowledge," he said.

"What we need to do is we have to tap it, identify it, encourage it and move on… That's why PM introduced skill development and new idioms have come," the vice president said.

Naidu said he had expressed his desire to focus his attention on regularly interacting with researchers and scientists at IIMs, IITs, universities, colleges, to motivate them to work for the country and betterment of the people.

"I am not an expert in science and technology but science is very very important for the betterment of our lives," he said.

"The very purpose of science and research is to search the methods through which you can make peoples' lives more comfortable," the vice-president said.

Research institutes have an important role to play for the development of the country and not only development but sustainable development is very much required and for that lot of study and research has to be done, he said.

"On many issues whether it is drinking water, energy security, food security, defence security all these are very important and very vital."

"It is here the research institutes play an important role. Fortunately, there is no dearth of knowledge in our country," he said.

He urged scientists to put in concerted efforts to provide solutions to the many problems faced by mankind and to ensure that Mother Earth is a better place to live for the present and future generations to come.

"The government has a responsibility and departments and CSIR also have a responsibility and at the same time as citizens, research scholars, students it is our duty. I feel that we must all come with some solutions to the many problems faced by mankind," he said.

CSIR-NGRI research programmes are broad-based and aligned to national priorities and missions of the Union government, the Vice-President said.

He said he would also like CSIR and its institutions like the NGRI to popularise science so that more and more children get interested in pursuing science subjects.

"We also need to have state-of-the-art R&D base that will cater to both, the academia and the industry." Naidu emphasised that science is the one and only medium that can provide solutions for the present and emerging problems in the years to come.

"Mankind faces numerous challenges related to climate change, global warming, sustainable development, clean energy water etc, and hence I earnestly urge the earth scientists present here, to work towards sustainable goals, meet societal needs and facilitate nation building," he added.