Kalam calls on scientists to adopt people-focused approach

Hyderabad: Former President A P J Abdul Kalam Friday stressed the need for scientific community to develop a `focus on people` approach in dealing with global challenges like poverty and illiteracy. "...Today the challenges of the nation and the world are poverty, illiteracy, safe drinking water, clean and green energy, equitable distribution of resources, quality education with values for all, overcoming societal imbalances, quality healthcare for all and good living conditions," Kalam said. When nations start working on the common enemies of illiteracy, poor health care etc, their tendency to focus on national, regional and global peace with better mutual trust is enabled, he said after inaugurating a national workshop on `Convergence of Nano-Bio-Info-Cognitive Technologies for Bio-Medical Innovations` at University College of Engineering here. "...There are many international dimensions for the cause and solutions and hence working for solutions is a collective responsibility of global community," he said while emphasising the need for scientific community to be aware of such challenges and to develop a `focus on people` approach. "Instead of looking at other developed countries for solutions, we must put our act together and innovate solutions, which are required by our people, particularly those who are living at the bottom of the community pyramid," Kalam further said. "It is time that we make our own informed stand on what are implications of unifying sciences and converging technologies," he said. The NBIC (Nano-Bio-Info-Cogno) provinces of science and technology are currently progressing at a rapid rate, he said adding that accelerated scientific and social progress can be achieved by combining research methods and results across these provinces. The NBIC convergence must be harnessed with focus on people. NBIC convergence model needs to be creating new avenues to match the global energy demand and supply and its impact on human health, capability and ecosystem. "The model also needs to be equitable, just and create opportunities for everyone, especially through human performance enhancement," Kalam added.