Mysuru:  Asserting that Science has made huge contributions to society, former Vice-Chancellor of University of Mysore and KSOU, Prof. K.S. Rangappa has said that the fruits of Science must reach the villages.

He was speaking after inaugurating a two-day National Conference on ‘Science and Technology: Rural Development’ jointly organised by Institution of Excellence & Centre for Materials Science and Technology and Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA), at Vignana Bhavan, Manasagangothri here yesterday.

Pointing out that over 60 percent of the country’s population live in villages, Prof. Rangappa, who is also the General President of ISCA, regretted that the benefits of Science is yet to reach the villages.

Noting that the fourth Industrial Revolution is in place, he said that computers are matching human intelligence, which is posing a challenge to the highly educated, which should be met with innovative ideas.

Stressing on the need for a bonding between Social Science and Fundamental Science for improving the quality of human life, he said that there should be more focus on rural development and rural sanitation.

Prof. K.J. Rao, Emeritus Professor of Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, who spoke after releasing books brought out on the occasion, regretted the decline in reading habit among the younger generation.

Asserting that Artificial Intelligence has become very much a part of our daily life, he said that no one can predict the advances that will be made in the next ten years. Computers are doing the task of searching and publishing research papers, thus replacing the human mind, he added.

UoM Vice-Chancellor Prof. G. Hemantha Kumar presided. ISCA Past General President Prof. Ashok Kumar Saxena released a souvenir. ISCA General President (Elect) Prof. Vijayalakshmi Saxena, Conference Organising Secretary and ISCA Convenor Prof. Gangadhar, Conference Convenor and Director of CDC, UoM, Dr. S. Srikanta Swamy, UoM Registrar Prof. Mahadevan and others were present at the National Conference.