Mysuru:  “There are plans to host another Indian Science Congress (ISC) in Karnataka shortly and I have thought of inviting scientists from the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) nations to the ISC,” said former VC of University of Mysore (UoM) and the Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) Prof. K.S. Rangappa, who has been elected as the President (General) of the ISC for the year 2019-20.

Addressing a press conference at a private hotel here yesterday, Prof. Rangappa said that steps should be taken for India to compete with foreign countries, including our neighbour China, in Science and Technology research and innovation. Our responsibility is to nurture the second generation of scientists, he added. He said that he would act as a bridge between the Union Science and Technology Ministry and the State to bring more projects and funds to the institutions in the State, to improve research and innovation.

Speaking about his election as the ISC President, he said it was a sort of record as he secured 57 out of the 59 votes polled while there were two more contestants. “It is almost like unanimous. While the earlier Presidents of the ISC from Karnataka — C.N.R. Rao, U.R. Rao, Kasturirangan and Raja Ramanna — were all from premier institutions like the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.), it is a recognition to the UoM, my alma mater, a traditional University, also to my service in academics, research and innovation, since four decades. I have 10 patents and 150 international papers in my name,” he said.

“As ISC President my responsibility towards Karnataka is also there. Already G. Hemanth Kumar, a Professor in Computer Science, UoM, has been recommended for the Prime Minister’s Award, from Karnataka. Many more scientists from Karnataka would be nominated for Science awards,” he said.

Upgrading of UoM

Welcoming the autonomous status accorded by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to the UoM, Prof. Rangappa said, the UoM has all the potential to become either a Central University or to get a special status like the premier institutions such as IIT and IISc.

“When we collaborated with foreign institutions and opened outreach courses in the UoM, we were targeted by critics. Autonomy was there as per earlier norms also. All that we did earlier was within the rules. Now that autonomous status has been given, the UoM can chalk out its own path to success,” he said.