KV Rao Science Society’s Annual Memorial Oration held

Hyderabad: Indian Chemical industry accounts for 3% of the global chemical industry. The size of the Indian Chemical Industry is US $ 130 billion. It is the 6th largest in the world and 3rd in Asia. It accounts for 3% of the global Chemical industry informed, Prof Mannepalli Lakshmi Kantham, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, a world renowned academic institution, that produced, Raghunath Mashelkar and Man Mohan Sharma – the only two Indian who elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS); Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of the Reliance Industries; Ashwin Dani, non-executive vice-chairman of Asian Paints Ltd; Nilesh Gupta, MD of Lupin Limited; Madhukar Parekh, co-founder of Pidilite Industries and many such corporate luminaries, is very well known for imparting quality education in Chemical Engineering and allied disciplines.

 

Addressing the Virtual 20th Annual Oration of Dr KV Rao Scientific Society, Dr Lakshmi Kantham, Who has more than 260 research publications and 43 US patents to her credit said, Chemical industry in our country contributes, 3% of the country’s GDP. The industry in India produces nearly 70,000 types of commercial products over a wide range of categories ranging from Cosmetics and Toiletries, to Plastics and Pesticides.

 

The Virtual Oration cum 20th Anniversary of KV Rao Society Celebrations and 20th Annual Science Awards function held on Tuesday evening and continued till late into the night.

 

This function is held every year to celebrate excellence in Science by school students and researchers.

 

Dr Anil Kumar Kutty, Retired IAS Officer, the President of Dr. KV Rao Scientific Society(Dr.KVRSS); Dr K. Ramamurthy, Mrs Dr. K.V Rao, Dr. Ratna, Secretary of Dr.KVRSS, Dr. Sridhar Rao, hundreds of Scientists, students, research scholars from across India participated.

 

Established in 2001, the Dr. K.V Rao Society has been working hard for the past 20 years for the cause of popularizing science among school children and enthusing young minds towards pursuing a career in science.

 

The Society was founded in the memory of Dr. K.V Rao

 

The family has donated Dr. K.V. Rao’s house worth Rs 2 crore to the society admeasuring 4000sft, located in Jubilee Hills couple of years back

 

The building is currently used as a Science Laboratory during the day and Hobby Center in the night for the benefit of the underprivileged children.

 

Dr Kantham, the former Director of IICT Hyderabad, gave an overview of various related industries such as Paints, Dyes,Organic, Inorganic, Agrochemicals, Fine and Speciality Chemicals and Fertilisers etc.

 

The theme of the Oration was, “Design and Development of Catalysts for Green and Economical Processes for Chemical Industry” on the occasion Centenary Celebrations Dr KV Rao, an eminent Scientist who worked with Geological Survey of India.

 

The top ten problems of the humanity are 01. Energy, 02. Water, 03. Food, 04. Environment, 05. Poverty, 06. Terrorism and War, 07. Disease, 08. Education, 09. Democracy and 10. Population. Catalysis is a fascinating science, and it has the potential to solve most of the problems world is facing today directly and/or indirectly. The world is driven today by the concept of sustainability through innovation and catalysis is one of the major force to reckon with, said Prof Kantham, a Telugu Scientist who hails from Andhra Pradesh.

 

Catalysis is the a process that makes it possible to turn a great variety of resources into important and necessary products – quickly, efficiently and with a minimum of energy. The primary role of Catalysis will be Process Intensification, Energy Saving, Economy and Environment. Catalysis is nothing but sustainability, she concluded her address.

 

It is also the Centenary Year of Dr K. V Rao, an eminent scientist who worked with Geological Survey of India and retired in 1978.

 

Dr. Rao’s study of effect of environmental pollution on Taj Mahal, Charminar and various other monuments and weathering profiles and preservation of monuments like Gomateswara statue at Sravana Belgola, Buddhist monuments in Sankaram, Thousand Pillar Temple in Hanumakonda is praise worthy. Dr. Rao was the founder Secretary of Hyderabad Science Association. The work of the Association was appreciated by the State Government and led to the formation of AP Academy of Science. His unfulfilled dream was to establish a Science Musuem in Hyderabad

 

During the Virtual Meeting 14th Science Quiz Awards; 14th School Talent Awards, 9th Spark Innovation Awards, KVRSS CCMB Spark Innovation Awards, KVRSS Spark Ganitham Awards and 20th Research Awards we’re presented to the winners.

 

Giving his opening remarks Mr. Anil Kumar Kitty, President of KVRSS said, “every child is a born scientist. They want to know everything about everything”.

 

The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) evaluates education systems worldwide by testing 15-year-olds in key subjects. In 2009, it tested 15year olds in India about they are understanding of Science. After that am test, it out India at 73rd rank out of 74 countries. After that this year was banned in India. Now it is permitted and will start testing from the year 2021, Mr. Anil Kutty, the retired bureaucrat said.

 

Teaching has more flaws in our country and it is more in Science, he observed. Gone are the days of one time Degree and skill acquisition. Now it is a perennial process, he shared.

 

Giving welcome address Dr KV Ratna, Secretary of Dr.KVRSS said, ‘this year has been very special for us. It not only happens to be the 20years of KVRSS but also the centenary year of Dr.K.V.Rao in whose memory this Society was formed”.

 

Though we were not encouraged much in the initial years, today we are able to impact more than 2000 students each year. Starting from Telangana, we gradually expanded to South India. There is a growing demand to go national. The Executive Committee is still thinking about it and we are yet to announce about expanding our activities to other states, shared Dr. Ratna.

 

The family has run its activities initially with their own resources. Shortage of manpower, funding and space were constraints. Today as we look back, the effort put in those days has paid off. KVRSS has its own office, we have many volunteers willing to support and funds have started coming from individuals, corporates and funding agencies, Dr Ratna added.

 

KVRSS, which till now has been a forum to spot talent and recognize students, will expand to mentoring the students. We have already started various activities in this direction with Concept teaching in Math, then Physics.

 

Our efforts towards mentoring were given an impetus when OCCF fund from California came forward to fund a mobile lab to cater to schools in far flung areas and some government schools. However, the project is slow in taking off due to the pandemic and government clearances. We are hopeful it shall be resolved soon, Dr Ratna informed.

 

Electronic Arts (EA) Hyderabad came forward to support the development of an Innovation centre for supporting students to take their projects to bigger scale. The centre is being developed in our office with the fund and we are in the process of selecting projects to be funded and mentored, added Dr. Ratna.

 

Many scientists who spoke observed Science continue to save the world.

 

An e-book in the 20 years journey of the KVRSS was also unveiled on the occasion.