as #India embarks on the world's largest election, what shd the incoming govt do to make #India a #science powerhouse? my opinion in today's @the_hindu with 5 specific suggestions, incl 🔼r&d budget, to make this happen & to enable ease of doing science in the country.

@cvkrishnan true. as #Indians, we recognize those who excel in #politics, #cricket and #bollywood, not in any other fields. our univ campuses resemble no less than the branch offices of the mainstream political parties.

@rpobhubaneswar @passportsevamea @DrSJaishankar @PMOIndia how long does the "due scrutiny" take? there's no address/name change from last passport & aadhar card? it has already been ~6mo (from 1st time) & ~4mo (from 2nd time). please see below and do the needful. @rpobhubaneswar is non-responsive & never responded to emails/phone calls.

@RobertMSterling excellent post. it said everything that i wanted to say except...i don't want to give my mobile number before i buy a toffee (in india, every damn shop asks your number when you go to the teller to purchase anything!!)

@rpobhubaneswar @passportsevamea @DrSJaishankar @PMOIndia did you read the mssg? a sr. citizen cannot travel. do you at @rpobhubaneswar read emails/answer calls? you donot. the concerned officers must face inquiry and suspension to disregard @DrSJaishankar's and @PMOIndia order to make life of sr. citizens easy. doc already sent, twice.

@rpobhubaneswar @passportsevamea @DrSJaishankar @PMOIndia why @DrSJaishankar & @PMOIndia open #PSV at post off? exactly to help sr. citizens who won't ve to travel far? shameful for @rpobhubaneswar officers' inaction & attitude not to serve sr. citizens & hurting #ViksitIndia vision big time? w > 6mo & doc given twice ⬇️. act or quit!

the entire #science #ecosystem in #India epitomizes #bureaucracy where the rule#1 is to obey the folks above, subdue the folks below & yes, cling to power as long as you can - because the moment one is out of power, shit breaks in.

when we get #extramural research grant w a head called #travel (domestic), why do we need to ask for permission again in the respective inst to spend for travel (assuming that the tkt is thru irctc/bl)? things like this can be done away w immediately. #EaseofDoingScience.

most don't realize that #India has miniscule no of #biotech comp. most are in #sevices, #CROs or #biosimilars. we need all of those but they're not biotech. for that, govt must fund #academia but most imp w the right faculty that understand innovation & willing to work w industry

#India has a huge cost adv for #biotech. still, that is balanced out w the increasing #bureacracy, #sub-optimal regulatory env, lack of enough #skilled workforce in the sector & lack of willing #academia in the ecosystem to collaborate w, all of which need to change.

@rpobhubaneswar @passportsevamea @DrSJaishankar @PMOIndia BHB074754261224. you shd check official emails & respond, pick up phone calls and help genuine sr. citizens to get ordinary passport that is every citizen's right (this is pending >6mo) & not respond only when @DrSJaishankar & @PMOIndia are tagged. pl do the needful asap.

indians' obsession with #politics, #cricket & #bollywood and our govt's inability to pump resources into #education & #research are making us less competitive in science/tech/innovation. the rest is taken care by our useless media focusing excessively on the 1st 3 topics.

seeing is beliving. #China has many flaws but most indian politicians/blind followers ve never been to #China & never seen the profound #tech #innovation that china has come up with in the last 2 decades. #India can do it but hasn't done it. we need to be humble & accept reality.

@cspramesh pramesh, if there's no repercussions for taking citizens' health/finance/education/well-being for granted by any commercial org - this is the outcome. if you think this's bad, just wait for the big pvt players to step in the field of personal data (they already have) & health.

@vishuguttal #PMRF must be eliminated, period. it is financially discriminatory. best is to have a single fellowship amt for all clearing national tests for all inst. incentives (incl financial) for the top performers based on research work/output/innovation shd be given.

the alleged #scamster in the #NAAC saga is suspeded from the univ but is it too little, too late? where does the scam end? and what will make the whole sham #univ #ranking business to stop?

@addictedtoigno1 this is one of the reasons why science publishing is so fuxxed up!!

@addictedtoigno1 the most hilarious aspect this, and you already mentioned this - the #EoC is paywalled 😀

@ArySrivastav @ramgopal_rao @maheshperi #IITs at the cost of #univ is a death sentence for the nation. #IITs must be funded, and funded well, but not at the cost of our univ. for research, #PMRF must be scrapped, all together. no ifs and not buts..it is one of the most disciminatory schemes in the science fellowships.

@DrDatta_AIIMS @IndiGo6E @indigo thing that pisses me the most abt @IndiGo6E - when they say "indigo std time" if door is shut a min before the departure time (aircraft can be at its place for long before taxing to the runway) but they never say "indigo std delay" when the door is shut post the departure time.