Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Feb 4: In his forecast for the world, particularly for India, former President A P J Abdul Kalam today said that in 15 to 25 years, the life will be transforming with four unique systems; smart waterways just like modern quadrilateral highways for managing floods and drought effectively, space march, harvesting solar power and genetically modified suitable medicines for every individual.
“March in space will make earth, moon and mars one single economic entity for creation of special habitats to human population and by harvesting solar power from space, electric power will be available round the clock to the world through space solar power satellites in geo-synchronize orbit or near earth orbit through constellation of space mirror satellites,” he predicted while addressing the gathering, including children, at the inaugural function of the Children Science Congress, held here alongside the Indian Science Congress at Jammu University.
He also identified five areas where India has a core competence for integrated action to become a developed nation. “Agriculture and food processing, Education and Healthcare, Information and Communication Technology, Infrastructure for all parts of the country and Self reliance in critical technologies are the five areas closely inter-related and progressing in a coordinated way, leading to food, economic and national security,” he said.
Describing ignited minds of youth as most powerful resource, the former President, who is popularly known as Missile Man of the country, said that the inherent creative capabilities of children should be identified and encouraged to have a new breed of innovative thinkers who are prepared to solve future global challenges.
“A nation’s economic development is powered by competitiveness. Competitiveness is powered by knowledge. Knowledge power is powered by technology. Technology is powered by innovation. Technology and innovation are powered by resource investment. Innovation opens up new vistas of knowledge and new dimensions to our imagination to make everyday life more meaningful and richer in depth and content. Innovation is born out of creativity,” he said.
Dr Kalam exhorted the children to stretch their imaginations and said, “history has proven that those who dare to imagine the impossible are the ones who break all human limitations. In every field of human endeavor, whether science, medicine, sports, the arts, or technology, names of the people who imagined the impossible and achieved are engraved in our history. By breaking the limits of their imagination, they changed the world.”
Maintaining that children have hard-wired ability to be creative, imaginative and innovative that often diminishes along the way, Dr Kalam stressed that teachings should be concept-based using knowledge and resources to teach ideas and deep understanding.
In his message to children, Dr Kalam said, “education gives you wings to fly. Achievement comes out of fire in our sub-conscious mind that “I will win”. So, each one of you assembled here and elsewhere, will have “Wings of Fire”. The Wing of Fire will indeed lead to knowledge, which will make you to fly as a Doctor, or an Engineer, or a scientist, a teacher, a good politician or anything you want to be.”
He cited an example of how four university students in Finland came forward and presented their technology design and prototype that led to the birth of mobile brand Nokia when their country was reeling under economic pressure after the collapse of USSR.
In the last, Kalam administered an oath to the youth with the pledge to be a good member of family, society, nation and the world.
He also replied to some queries of the children who sought to known what could they do to make India a developed nation, difference between spirituality and science, etc.
Former ISRO chairman and another prominent scientist, Prof Yash Pal, who delivered a key note address in the inaugural function, said that maximum opportunities should be given in the universities for innovation.
“Innovation has the capacity to take India towards inclusive growth. Children are creators and inventor who are the future of the country for making it an economically self reliant and developed nation”, he said.
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