India could justly feel proud for its unique contributions to science in the ancient past. However, successive foreign invasions and alien rule for centuries pushed science in the background and the country went through with what may be described as the dark age for science. Western science attracted Indian intelligentsia after the establishment of the western system of education and the universities; and despite many constraints, the country could produce giants like Prof. J.C. Bose, Prof. S.N. Bose, Prof. Meghnad Saha, Prof. C.V. Raman, Srinivasa Ramanujan and Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray.
The 1st World War and the world-wide economic depression caused a setback to scientific research globally - much more so in India whose scientists found it difficult even to publish their research work since they had to be almost entirely dependent on foreign journals. The post World War India also saw the rise of the freedom movement which incidentally also drew attention to the numerous problems of the Indian people like poverty, hunger, diseases, recurrent floods, droughts, famines etc. Patriotic scientists felt deeply concerned with these.
It was in this background that the idea of establishing a forum for scientists, which would bring them together to discuss and find scientific solutions to the problems of the country, was mooted in 1929 by Prof. Meghnad Saha, a great scientist, patriot and then Professor of Physics at Allahabad University. His views were published in December 1929 issue of the Allahabad University magazine in an article entitled 'A Plea for an Academy of Sciences'.
Thus, the National Academy of Sciences, India (initially called “The Academy of Sciences of United Provinces of Agra and Oudh”) was founded in the year 1930, with the objectives to provide a national forum for the publication of research work carried out by Indian scientists and to provide opportunities for exchange of views among them. The Memorandum of Association was signed by seven distinguished and patriotic scientists namely Prof. Meghnad Saha, Prof. K.N. Bahl, Prof. D.R. Bhattacharya, Prof. P.C. MacMohan, Prof. A.C. Banerji, Prof. Ch. Wali Mohammad and Prof. N.R. Dhar. Of these, the Academy had the good fortune of having the continued association of Prof. N.R. Dhar until very lately when he expired on December 5, 1986 at the age of 96 years. Apart from being one of the founders of the Academy and taking continued interest in its welfare, Prof. Dhar also donated the piece of land on which the Academy building stands today.
The Rules and Regulations of the Academy were based on those of the Royal Society of England and the Asiatic Society of Bengal. These have since been revised and updated to meet the emerging challenges. Prof. Meghnad Saha was elected its first President. In the Inaugural address, Prof. Saha Said : “…..But the main function of the Academy should be towards cultural improvement by contribution to human knowledge”. Since then, the Academy has crossed many milestones, successfully serving the “Science & Society”. In its Silver Jubilee Session in 1955, Prof. Saha, further emphasized the role of the Academies in developing human scientific resources. Similarly, during the Golden Jubilee Session of the Academy in 1980, Shrimati Indira Gandhi, Prime Minster of India stressed that the need of hour was to ensure that science does not remain confined to laboratories. The address delivered by His Excellency Sri R. Venkataraman, President of India, during the Diamond Jubilee Session (1990-91) was a timely reminder of the vision of late Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru to integrate science with the lives of the people; and the Academy left no stone unturned in pursuing its aim and objectives, which was appreciated by His Excellency Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, President of India, in his address during the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations of the Academy in 2005. Dr. Kalam praised the role of the Academy in boosting the zeal of the budding scientists, who could do better in future with such support and endeavour.
The Academy undertakes several “science-society” programs under the guidance of its President (Prof. G. Padmanaban), Past Presidents and Fellows. As its Past Presidents, very distinguished scientists like Prof. M.S. Swaminathan, Prof. Manju Sharma, Prof. P.N. Tandon, Prof. Jai Pal Mittal, Prof. V.P. Kamboj, Prof. Ashok Misra, Prof. Asis Datta, Dr. K. Kasturirangan, Prof. Akhilesh K. Tyagi and Prof. Anil Kakodkar are keenly associated with the Academy and enormously contributing to its development. It is worth mentioning that a few other Past Presidents (unfortunately who are not with us now), as Prof. M.G.K. Menon, Dr. V.P. Sharma, Prof. A.K. Sharma, Dr. T.N. Khoshoo, Prof. U.S. Srivastava, Dr. A.P. Mitra, Dr. S.Z. Qasim and Prof. S.K. Joshi, also contributed a lot to the development of science in general and the Academy in particular, in the recent past.
The Academy while starting with 57 ordinary Members and 19 Fellows, has now 1820 Members and 1856 Fellows from all parts of the country; including 17 Honorary Fellows and 106 Foreign Fellows from various disciplines of Science and Technology. The Academy is also recognized as the Professional Body of the DST and SIRO of the DSIR, Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt. of India.
Shamla Hills, Bhopal - 462002
NASI
NASI - envisions the cultivation and promotion of Science & Technology in all its branches through –
- (a) promoting scientific and technological research related to the problems of societal welfare;
- (b) publication of proceedings, journals, memoirs, transactions and other works as may be considered desirable;
- (c) organising meetings and hold discussions on scientific and technological problems;
- (d) undertaking, through properly constituted committees and bodies, the scientific work(s) of technological or public importance.
- (e) co-operating with other organizations in India and abroad, having similar objects, and to appoint representatives of the Academy to act on national and international bodies;
- (f) securing and managing funds and endowments for the promotion of science and technology;
- (g) organising a Science Library;
- (h) performing all other acts, matters and things that may assist in, conduce to, or be necessary for the fulfillment of the above mentioned aims and objects of the Academy;
- (i) creating an adequate impact of the Academy all over the country, by opening Chapters of the Academy in other cities in the country, where reasonable number of Fellows and Members are available.
(I) Council 2021
(I) Council 2021
President
1. Prof. Ajoy Kumar Ghatak, PhD(Cornell), FNASc, Formerly Professor of Physics at IIT Delhi; Res. D-42, Hauz Khas, New Delhi-110016
Past Presidents
2. Prof. G. Padmanaban, PhD, DSc(hc), FNASc, FNA, FASc, FTWAS, Former Director, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore – 560012
3. Prof. Ved Prakash Kamboj, PhD, DSc, FNASc, FNA, Mem NYASc, Formerly Director, CDRI, Lucknow; Chairman, Board of Directors, Biotech Consortium India Ltd., New Delhi; Res. C-1111, Indira Nagar, Lucknow - 226016;
Vice-Presidents
4. Prof. Anurag Sharma, PhD, FNASc, FNA, FASc, FNAE, Professor, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi - 110016;
5. Dr. Saroj Kanta Barik, PhD, FNASc, FNAAS, Director, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow - 226001
Treasurer
6. Prof. U.C. Srivastava, D.Phil., Doctor of Neurophysiology (Pisa), FNASc, FIAN, Formerly Emeritus Professor, Department of Zoology, University of Allahabad, Prayagraj – 211002
Foreign Secretary
7. Dr. Amit Prakash Sharma, PhD(Northwestern, USA), FNASc, FNA, FASc, FTWAS, Director, ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, Sector 8, Dwarka, New Delhi - 110077
General Secretaries
8. Prof. Paramjit Khurana, PhD, FNASc, FNA, FASc, FNAAS, FTWAS, JC Bose National Fellow, Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi South Campus, Benito Juarez Road, Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi - 110021
9. Prof. Satya Deo, PhD(Arkansas, USA), FNASc, Formerly Vice Chancellor, APS University, Rewa, MP; Honorary Scientist, Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Chhatnag Road, Jhusi, Prayagraj - 211019
Members
10. Prof. Talat Ahmad, PhD, FNASc, FNA, FASc, JC Bose National Fellow, Vice-Chancellor, University of Kashmir, Hazratbal, Srinagar-190006
11. Prof. Rakesh Bhatnagar, PhD, FNASc, FNA, FASc, Vice Chancellor, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi – 221005
12. Prof. Rama Govindarajan, PhD, FNASc, FASc, Professor, International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru – 560089
13. Prof. Ravindra Shripad Kulkarni, PhD, FNASc, Bhaskaracharya Pratishthan, 56/14, Erandavane, Damle Path, Off Law College Road, Pune - 411004
14. Prof. Bhaskaran Pillai Mohan Kumar, PhD, FNASc, FNAAS, FNIE, FAS, Vice-Chancellor, Arunachal University of Studies (AUS), NH-52, Knowledge City, Namsai, AP - 792103
15. Dr. Ajay Kumar Parida, PhD, FNASc, Director, Institute of Life Sciences (DBT, GOI), NALCO Square, Chandrasekarpur, Bhubaneswar-751023
16. Prof. Isan K. Patro, PhD, FNASc, FIAN, FCINP, Formerly Vice-Chancellor, Ravenshaw University, Cuttack – 753003
17. Prof. Prasun Kumar Roy, MBBS, PhD, FNASc, Professor, Computational Neuroscience & Neuroimaging Lab, School of Biomed. Engg., IIT (BHU), Varanasi – 221005
18. Prof. Anil K. Singh, PhD, FNASc, FASc, Former Professor of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai.
19. Prof. Sanjeev Sinha, MD(Medicine), FNASc, Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi – 110029
20. Dr. Renu Swarup, PhD, FNASc, Secretary to the Govt. of India, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt. of India, Block 2, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi - 110003
21. Dr. Prabodh Kumar Trivedi, PhD, FNASc, FMASc, FNAAS, Director, CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow -226015
22. Prof. Hriday Narain Verma, PhD, FNASc, FBS, FPSI, FISEB, Vice-Chancellor, Jaipur National University, Jagatpura, Jaipur – 302017
23. Dr. Sandeep Verma, PhD(Illinois), FNASc, FNA, FASc, FRSC, Secretary, Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), New Delhi; JC Bose National Fellow, 5 & 5A, Lower Ground Floor, Vasant Square Mall, Sector-B, Pocket-5, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi - 110070;
and a Nominee of the Secretary, DST, GoI
(III) Activities of NASI (in a nutshell):
The Academy (NASI) organized various activities under the Presidentship of Professor G. Padmanaban, former Director, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, during the year 2019/20. The Past Presidents, namely Professor M.S. Swaminathan, Professor (Mrs.) Manju Sharma, Professor Ashok Misra, Professor Asis Datta, Dr V. P. Kamboj, Professor J.P. Mittal, Dr. K. Kasturirangan, Professor Akhilesh K. Tyagi and Prof. Anil Kakodkar also took keen interest in the dissemination of science in general and the development of the Academy, in particular. The noteworthy accomplishments with the kind cooperation of its Fellows and Members, and major (financial) support of the DST, New Delhi, are as follows: