| 'India
Should Market Itself Well' |
| Dr
Abdul Kalam on integrated development projects, his focus on the
children of India and more... |
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| SHANTANU
GUHA RAY |
When
Bharat Ratna Dr Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam
announced his decision last week to quit as principal
scientific advisor to the government, an extraordinary,
43-year-long career ended. Associated with nearly every
Indian technological milestone—the first rocket launch
vehicle, the first Indian satellite, the first strategic
missile and, of course, the Indian nuclear programme—Dr
Kalam has spent the past few years developing the concept
of India Millennium Missions (IMM) 2020—a blueprint for
transforming India into a developed nation. Dr Kalam calls
it "the second vision of the nation". Of course,
he is not receding into total retirement. He'll work as
ISRO's distinguished professor and says he wants to focus
on the children of India. Excerpts from an interview with Shantanu
Guha Ray:
Can India become a dominant world player?
We need integrated action in five major areas. One,
agriculture and food processing: we have to set a target
of 360 million tonnes of food and agricultural production.
Two, reliable and quality electricity supply for all.
Three, education and healthcare. Four, information
technology, which can also be used to promote education in
remote areas. Five, strategic sectors: nuclear, space and
defence technology. These five areas are inter-related and
culminate in the 30 India 2020 missions. A partnership
between R&D, industry and the community as a whole and
the government departments will be essential to accomplish
the vision.
Don't you feel India's nuclear programme has given the
arms race a fillip?
What would you expect us to do? Be sandwiched between two
nuclear powers—Pakistan and China—and do tapasya?
For 3,000 years, we have been invaded time and again
because of one simple reason: we had virtually no
resistance to offer to the invaders. This needs to change,
right? If our neighbours have nukes, we must have them
too. Otherwise, it weakens our position. We've not created
these bombs for decoration.
Why do we see such anti-Indian feelings among our
neighbours?
This has happened because India hasn't developed what is
known globally as a win-win situation. Look at China and
all its antics. It violates trade norms, steals arms
secrets from the West and yet, Washington's comfort-level
with Beijing is high. This is because of the economics
which dominates global politics. India must learn from
such examples. We are a developed nation compared to our
neighbours. So, we need to work out a situation where the
Indian government markets its brand in an aggressive
manner across the borders while also giving space to
neighbours to have their say in our markets. But has that
happened? Interaction between India and its neighbours has
touched an abysmal low. It needs to improve. Our
neighbours need to understand our strengths and growth
areas. They should see where they can contribute. Only
then will this distrust subside. People, then, won't talk
terrorism, only business.
You dream of India being on par with the G-8 nations.
Isn't that a long shot?
Economic growth comes from the integrated growth of
technology, infrastructure, education and, above all, the
urge to market our products. Developed countries, to keep
their status intact, market their products to countries of
different ideologies. For example, the US, in the case of
China, has sacrificed the Missile Technology Control
Regime and certain aspects of the NPT.In India, we should
outgrow our historical-religious focus for economic
development.The nation has to market Indian products which
have brand value. It should also share its civilisational
qualities for world peace. G-8 leaders visit other
countries to market their equipment and systems with
nicely-packaged political agendas. Recently, I visited
Tripura, Assam and Jharkhand. All these states have
abundant natural and human resources. There should be
integrated development projects in mission-mode, unique
for a particular state and funded in an integrated way.
You have said you now want to work with children. Why
this new interest?
In my career of 43 years, I've changed my area of work
almost every 10 years. Change brings new thoughts, new
thoughts lead to innovative actions. From August 2001, I
have been visiting many states. I have addressed about
15,000 students, mostly in high schools. I shared their
imaginations. I have found that I can communicate well
with them. I think I can ignite in their minds a love for
science and the nation's mission: a developed India.
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Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
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