Mumbai to be branded Science City

Mumbai, Jan 2 (IANS) The five-day 102nd Indian Science Congress (ISC) starting here Saturday would brand Mumbai a 'Science City', acknowledging its contribution in the fields of science, technology, medicine and research, an official said here Friday.

Organised by the Indian Science Congress Association, Kolkata, the ISC will revolve round the theme of 'Science and Technology for Human Development' and is being hosted by University of Mumbai from Jan 3-7.

"We shall brand Mumbai as 'Science City' because of this great city's contribution to the field of science and related aspects," University of Mumbai vice chancellor Rajan Welukar said here.

He pointed out that Mumbai has institutions of repute like the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B), the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) and others.

"The contribution of Mumbai to science is well known... We would like this even to be an event of Mumbai city rather than just the university," Welukar said.

The ISC will cover 14 broad segments such as agriculture and forestry, animal, veterinary and fisheries, anthropological and behavioural, chemical, earth systems, engineering, environmental, materials, information and communications, mathematical, medical, new biology, physical and plant sciences.

The ISC's mega-science expo, to be held at MMRDA Grounds in the Bandra-Kurla Complex, next to the ISC venue, has been titled 'Pride Of India' and will showcase cutting-edge technologies and path-breaking research and development initiatives, schemes and achievements of the country's leading public and private sector players, government departments, research labs, educational institutions and allied sectors.

Parallel to the main ISC event, there will be a Women's Science Congress, Children's Science Congress and a Science Communicators' Meet.