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Over 100 young Indian scientists from universities across the Midwest learnt last week about multi-level collaborative initiatives in academia, industry and government between India and the United States, opening opportunities for them to participate in India’s socio-economic development, and also in nation building.
These scientists, most of them graduate and post-doctoral students at various universities, including the University of Chicago and University of Wisconsin, sat through the three-day conference titled “Young Investigators Meeting’ organized by Science and research Opportunities in India (Sci-RoI), a nonprofit under the auspices of WinSTEP Forward.
WinSTEP has partnered with the Indian government, scientific agencies and top-tier schools across India and the U.S. to facilitate mutually beneficial scientific research and scientific education-based public private partnerships between the U.S. and India.
The first ever YIM, facilitated by Ausaf Sayeed, India’s consul general in Chicago, was held Oct.21-23 at both the consulate and the University of Chicago and was addressed, among others, by professor Aseem Ansari, at the University of the Wisconsin in Madison and the co-founder of WINStep, Sam Pitroda, former advisor on technology to the Indian government, prof Ajit Chaturvedi of IIT, Kanpur, R Brakaspathy, secretary, science and engineering research board of the Indian government, Vinod (Vinny) Gupta, chair, Ohio Board of Regents, professor Sam Ramesh, Kellogg School of Business, Northwestern University, and Johnathan Ward, principal commercial officer, U.S. consulate in Kolkata.
In his welcome address, Sayeed urged the young investigators to actively participate in nation building by contributing to India’s socio-economic development.
“The purpose of the first ever YIM here was to encourage post-doctoral students working in various faculties to go back to India where a lot of work and research opportunities exist these days. We wanted to inform them that the environment back home has become very enabling,” Sayeed told Desi Talk in an interview.
“Students in India can learn from their knowledge and the country can use their expertise for the growth and development of India. Not many people know that there are various fellowships available for them if they want to go to leading Indian institutions to carry on their research work and study,” Sayeed said.
“In the last couple of years, a reverse brain drain has started because of which scores of highly qualified Indians have returned to India whether to join academia or for entrepreneurship. Unfortunately, not many people are about this new India and the reverse brain drain. So, through this conference we sought to discuss ways for getting back the best of minds back to India,” Sayeed said.
In his address he invited researchers to participate in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship programs, including “Make in India”, “Skills India”, “Digital India”, and “Green India”.
Pitroda, who addressed one of the sessions held in Chicago University, gave an “inspiring talk” on various opportunities for research in India these days. Pitroda said that while one can lead a good life in the U.S., if someone wants to help underprivileged people in India to have a good life, then one should “go back to India to make a difference.”
Ansari told this correspondent that there are some 200,000 Indian scientists and engineers working abroad, including in the U.S.]”At least one fourth of them have in the past few years returned to India and we believe several more such highly qualified scientists are seeking opportunities to go back to India where they can fulfill their professional aspirations in terms of research, and also would like to contribute to India’s development. This YIM has seemingly provided a platform for them to seek advanced career opportunities in India,” Ansari said.
Many of the researchers, who attended the conference, were impressed by its proceedings and said they looked forward to more such opportunities for interaction and learn more about the “enabling research environment” in India.
Said Kirti Yenkie, postdoctoral fellow, University of Wisconsin in Madison: “I was one of the attendees to the YIM. I thank the organizers and volunteers for putting together such a wonderful conference. I am willing to help with future organization of such meetings.”
The post A Call To Young Scientists To Go Back To India At Chicago Conference appeared first on News India Times.