Eenadu-ETV Bharat, ASTC Conclave Pushes For Stronger Science Communication Strategy For A Developed India 2047
Former Vice President of India, Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu, said he was "pleased to be here at this national conclave on a topic of great relevance."
Published : January 8, 2026 at 12:00 PM IST
|Updated : January 8, 2026 at 8:48 PM IST
Hyderabad: A national conclave on the theme 'Lab to Society: Role of Science Communication in Building Viksit Bharat @ 2047' was jointly organised by Eenadu-ETV Bharat and the Academy for Science, Technology and Communication (ASTC), in association with the National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI) – Telangana Chapter, here on Thursday.
The conclave witnessed a high-profile gathering of scientific luminaries and communication experts deliberate threadbare the importance of making the general public fully aware of the major scientific achievements and their importance for society as a whole.
Former Vice President of India, Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu, as the chief guest, delivered the inaugural address at the Bhaskara Auditorium, B.M. Birla Science Centre here.
He spoke in detail about the importance of a meaningful science communication strategy while asserting that the outcome of any research must benefit society at large and accelerate the pace to build a strong ‘Viksit Bharat’.
While creating a sound knowledge base is important, equally critical, he said, is the need to foster academia and industry linkages.
"There should be a powerful thread to meaningfully connect science, technology and society. Science communication is an important tool in achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat. Without effective science communication, discoveries remain limited to academic journals," the former VP said.
He thanked Eenadu-ETV Bharat for coordinating with the ASTC in organising the event and said he was "pleased to be here at this national conclave on a topic of great relevance."
Science and technology should be used to enhance people’s capacity and calibre to serve the society, he said and highlighted the need to have centres of excellence in every state.
The former Vice President backed teaching science in the mother tongue instead of English.
"The day is not far away when science and medicine are taught in our mother tongue. Not just Telugu, but the respective mother tongues of the youngsters," he said.
Naidu also released "ASTC-Communications,” a new publication positioned as a resource for science communicators across the country, intended to support more informed, accurate and engaging coverage of scientific issues.
Dr Soumya Swaminathan, a towering figure in global health governance, delivered the thematic address as the Guest of Honour.
Science communication, she said, should go beyond the numbers, help people understand and build trust in the scientific advancements.
She insisted that science should not be suppressed for partisan purposes.
"Science diplomacy rests on simple truths. First truth: pathogens do not need passports. Climate change does not respect state or national boundaries. Human curiosity and compassion cross political lines," she said, adding that diplomacy can bridge the gaps in science communication, which otherwise are impacted by geopolitical developments.
The Principal Advisor to the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme also shared how far out conspiracies on vaccines-- one of them said it hit fertility-- impacted people’s trust in scientific advancements.
Swaminathan, a prominent voice in global health governance, delivered the thematic address as a Guest of Honour. Currently chairing the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, the doctor drew on her experience as former Director-General of the Indian Council of Medical Research to underline the stakes involved in strengthening science communication, amid the explosion of data and its direct bearing on achieving Viksit Bharat in 2047.
"How do we take science from the labs to society? Many people think that science means wearing a white coat in a lab. Everything we take for granted today came from scientific discoveries. We live in a world where public trust in science is fragile. This experience taught us we needed to fight 'infodemic'."
"Many of us assumed during the pandemic that providing people with facts, graphs, numbers and figures would automatically translate into rational decisions. But human beings do not live inside spreadsheets. They operate and make decisions based on trust," she said.
"One of the lessons from the pandemic was that information is not the same as communication. Human beings do not live inside spreadsheets. It became clear during COVID-19 that some voices were more credible than others. Social listening was about keeping a close watch on social media and online communication. I also learnt that when people ask questions, that does not mean they are anti-science, they are asking genuine questions."
"From broadcasting, we need to move to listening. It is very difficult to change mindsets. We need to involve teachers, youth groups to spread public health messages. I find that a story stays with you more than a piece of paper that you read," she said.
She also referred to the films made by noted actor Dr Mohan Agashe on mental health. "Journalists need to add local context in the local language," she quipped. "Two important risk factors for health are diet and air pollution. Good food does not mean expensive food. Here, it is a battle with companies," she said.
Presidential remarks were delivered by Dr Ch. Mohan Rao, Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Council of ASTC and Chairman of NASI–Telangana Chapter. Dr R.B.N. Prasad, Honorary President of ASTC, outlined the objectives of the conclave and the need for sustained engagement between scientists, communicators and policymakers.
The audience included former vice-chancellors, former DRDO chiefs, senior academics, industry leaders and media veterans. Among them were Dr Pavuluri Subba Rao, Chairman and Managing Director of Ananth Technologies Ltd., and M. Nageswara Rao, Editor of Eenadu, highlighting the cross-sectoral character of the gathering.
A major highlight of the inaugural session was the felicitation of eminent scientists and science communicators recognised for their efforts to make science accessible and socially relevant. Those honoured included Dr D. Balasubramanian, former Director of Research at LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) and former Director of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB); Dr B.G. Sidharth, Founder Director-General of the B.M. Birla Science Centre; and senior science journalist Pallava Bagla, whose television reportage has brought complex scientific developments to mass audiences.
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