A Monograph on

My Experiments in Science: With

Special Reference to Appropriate
Technology

By
A. JAGADEESH
CONVENOR

Society of Science for the People

NELLORE 524 002
A.P. INDIA

1978

Dedication

I respectfully dedicate this

MONOGRAPH to late Dr. E.F.
SCHUMACHER,whose profound
concern for humanity inspired me and
many others to plan and work in
bringing science to the doors of those
who need it.

MESSAGES
Vice-President
India, New Delhi
June 30, 1978
I am glad to learn that the Society of Science for the People, Nellore, will release a book by
Shri A.Jagadeesh entitled My Experiments in Science with Special reference to Appropriate
Technology, on September 5, 1978, to coincide with the first Dr.E.F.Schumacher Memorial Lecture
on Science and the Common Man.
I wish the function all success and hope the book will meet the needs of the common man.

B.D.JATTI
*****
Governor
Uttar Pradesh

Raj Bhavan
Lucknow
July 13, 1978

My Dear Sri Jagadeesh,

I thank you for your letter dated 8th instant. I am glad to know that you all have organised
the first Dr.E.F.Schumacher Memorial Lecture on Science and the Common Man on the 4 th of
September at Nellore and, on the occasion, your book My Experiments in Science with Special
Reference to Appropriate Technology will also be released.
As we know, without synthesising the interests of different sections of society, Science &
Technology serve as another weapon in the hands of man to live upon the life of others to deprive
many of them of their bare livelihood. In a developing country like ours, Science & Technology have
to be deployed with utmost care, keeping the wellbeing of weaker sections as the central theme. I,
therefore, congratulate you for your endeavour to make Science & Technology mass-oriented and
wish the function all success.
With best wishes,

Yours sincerely,
G.D.TAPSE
Raj Bhavan,
Ahmedabad.

Governer of Gujarat

17th July, 1978.

I am happy to know that the book My Experiments in Science with Special Reference to
Appropriate Technology is being released on September 4, 1978 at Nellore on the occasion of the
first Dr.E.F. Schumacher Memorial Lecture.
The book, I hope, will be useful to our people in adopting the required technology keeping in
view the available raw material, know-how and man-power in our Country.
K.K.VISWANATHAN
*****

Governor of Karnataka

Raj Bhavan
Bangalore 560 001
July 13, 1978

I am glad to learn that the Society of Science for the People, Nellore (A.P.) will be releasing
a Book on My Experiments in Science with special reference to Appropriate Technology on the
occasion of the first Dr.E.F. Schumacher Memorial Lecture on Science and Common Man being
organised on the 4th of September 1978 at Nellore.
I send my good wishes on this occasion and hope that the people would greatly profit by the
book.
GOVIND NARAIN
*****
Secretary to the Governor
Jammu and Kashmir
Raj Bhavan, Srinagar

July 20, 1978.

Dear Sir,
I am to acknowledge with thanks your letter No.AJ/GC/3010/77-78 dated July 8, 1978, to
the Governor. The Governor was happy to learn that you are bringing out a book called My
Experiments in Science and he has asked me to convey to you his best wishes on the occasion.
Yours faithfully,
Ashok Kumar
Secretary to Governor

THE WHITE HOUSE

WASHINGTON

August 15,1978
Dear Dr.Jagadeesh:
I am pleased to respond to your request for a message for the book My Experiments in
Science with Special Reference to Appropriate Technology.
The growing global interest in what has come to be known as Appropriate Technology
represents a significant new thrust in applied science and development. It provides opportunities to
create and apply small- and intermediate-scale technologies to meet the needs of people in
developing areas. Such technologies, some based on long-term scientific and engineering principles
and others on new emerging discoveries, could serve to improve the agriculture, health and general
living conditions in a developing area. They could be responsible for increasing the supply of energy
available to a community. And they could provide for the establishment or improvement of local
industry with low capital investment and opportunity for increased employment. While not intended
as a replacement for large-a scale industrial development, appropriate technology has an important
role to play today, both for its immediate humanitarian value and for its use in making the transition
to future development. It is a movement that deserves the support of people and governments
around the world.
Best wishes for the success of your program.

Sincerely yours,
Frank Press
Science and Technology
Advisor

MESSAGES
Director General, ICAR.

D.O.No.1557/DG/78
July 3, 1978

My Dear Shri Jagadeesh,

I am glad to learn that you are organising a lecture in the memory of Dr.E.F. Schumacher
and that on the occasion you are bringing out a book on Appropriate Technology. Tehcnology which is
appreciate to specific agro-ecological and socio-economic conditions is the need of the hour.

Therefore all efforts in generating and propagating appropriate technology are valuable. I wish you
much success in such work.
With kind regards,
Yours sincerely.
M.S.Swaminathan
*****
Prof.B.D.Tilak, Director
National Chemical Laboratory, POONA 411 008
14th July, 1978
Dear Sri Jagadeesh,
I am happy to know that you soon intend to publish a book on My experiments in Science
with special reference to Appropriate Technology. The Society of Science for people Nellore has
been doing excellent work for bringing science to the needy sections of the Indian population. You
have been playing an important role in this effort. I am sure that the book you will soon be
publishing will prove useful to the people for whom it is intended. I am also glad to know that the
above book will be released on the occasion of the 1st Dr.E.F. Schumacher Memorial Lecture on
Science and the common Man which will be delivered on 4 th September, 1978.
With kind regards,
Yours sincerely,
B.D.TILAK
The University of Madras, Madras
July 1, 1978

The Vice Chancellor

I am glad to know that the Society of Science for the People is bringing out a book on My
Experiments in Science with special reference to Appropriate Technology on the occasion of
Dr.E.F. Schumacher First Memorial Lecture on 4 th September, 1978.
On this happy occasion, I congratulate the Convenor and other members of the Society for
their endeavour in bringing the science to the doors of those who need it.
I wish the function every success.

M.V. RAJAGOPAL,
Vice-Chancellor

MALCOLM S.ADISESHAIAH
** * * *
Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University
Hyderabad, 11.07.1978

Dear Sri Jagadeesh,

I am glad to know that you are organising the first Dr.E.F. Schumacher memorial lecture on
Science and the Common Man on 04.09.1978. Please accept my hearty congratulations and also
best wishes for the success of the function.
Yours sincerely,
M.V.RAJAGOPAL
*****
SRI VENKATESWARA UNIVERSITY
Prof.K.Satchidananda Murthy
vice-chancellor
Dear Shri Jagadeesh,

Tirupati
11 July, 1978

I am glad you are doing whatever you can to promote scientific outlook among people.
I wish your efforts all success.
With best wishes,

Vice Chairman

Yours sincerely,
K.SATCHIDANANDA MURTHY
University Grants Commission, New Delhi
July 24, 1978

I am very happy to know that the Society of Science for the People, Nellore is bringing out
a book on My Experiments in Science with special reference to Appropriate Technology on the
occasion of Dr.E.F. Schumacher Memorial Lecture. The society is engaged in bringing Science
nearer to the common man. Though a lot has been done in this direction, but much more is still
required to be done to harness science for the well-being of the common man and to eradicate the
deep rooted poverty.
I wish the organisers all success in their great task.
B.RAMACHANDRA RAO
*****
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING
Director

New Delhi
19th July, 1978

The developments in science and technology in recent times have been very rapid and
spectacular. The gap between the developed and the developing countries in this respect has
increased. People in the developing world are looking at the remarkable developments in science and
technology with awe and wonder. This is not very conducive to the development of science in their
own countries. Such an attitude only leads to the implanting of technology from the developed
countries without much concern for the environment and culture of the people for whom any
technology is finally meant. It is, therefore, very right that Shri Jagadeesh has considered it
worthwhile through the Society of Science for People to bring the people closer to the new
developments in Science and Technology. I am pleased to note that the technology that he is
thinking of is an appropriate technology for which one has to do experiments and fit it into the local
culture. I am sure that the book will be of interest to all concerned in scientific experimentation
and use of scientific knowledge for the development of the people.
With regards,

The World Bank, Washington, D.C,U.S.A.

Yours sincerely,
SHIB K. MITRA
July 12, 1978

Dear Mr. Jagadeesh,

Mr.McNamara has asked me to thank you for your letter requesting a message for your
book.
Unfortunately, pressures on his schedule do not make it possible for him to devote the time
that such a message would merit. I am, however, enclosing a copy of his book, One Hundred
Countries, Two Billion People, and some of his most recent addresses from which you may quote.

He would appreciate receiving a copy of the publication in which any quotes appear.
It was kind of you to write.
Sincerely,
JOHN L. MADDUX

*****
COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC & INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH, NEW DELHI
July 5, 1978
Dear Sir,
Please refer to your letter No.AJ/GC/Lecture/3010/77-78, dated 27.06.1978 addressed to
Dr.A.Ramachandran, Director General, CSIR. I am directed to say that the CSIR is glad that your
Society is organising the first Dr.E.F.Schumacher Memorial Lecture and release the book on My
Experiments in Science with special reference to Appropriate Technology. The Director General,
CSIR, wishes you every success in your endeavour to popularise the science.
Yours faithfully,
J.C.SRIVASTAVA
Scientist

Dr.A.DUTTA
Joint Director

Ministry of Industrial Development

Government of India
(Appropriate Technology Unit)
New Delhi
11th, July 1978

Dear Shri Jagadeesh,

Please refer to your letter dated 27 th June, 1978 regarding your book on My Experiments
in Science with special reference to Appropriate Technology and your request to send a message in
that connection.
I must thank you heartily for your kind letter I would suggest that you may take messages
from bigger people than myself for incorporating them in the book. I for one would like to send you
my very best greetings and the very best wishes to you for your success in the field of appropriate
technology.
With best of regards.
Yours sincerely,
A. DUTTA
*****

CENTRAL FOOD TECHNOLOGICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE, MYSORE

July 20, 1978
Dear Sir,
We acknowledge with thanks your letter No.AJ/GC/3010/77-78, dated 8th July, 1978. I was
out of station during the last week and hence could not reply you promptly. I am happy to note that
you are bringing out a book on My Experiments in science with special reference to appropriate
technology. I also note that you are organising first Dr.E.F. Schumacher Memorial Lecture on
Science and the Common Man on 4th September 1978 at Nellore. I am sure that we may have many
things to learn from your proposed book and also from the lecture at Nellore. If there is something
we can do from this end, please do not hesitate to write to me.
Yours faithfully,
V.H.POTTY, Head
Industrial Development &
Consultancy Services
XAVIER INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL SERVICE RANCHI
My Dear Shri Jagadeesh,

July 12, 1978

I want to thank you for your kind letter No.AJ/GC/Lecture/3010/77-78, dated 8th July,
1978.
I would be obliged if you could send me a copy of your book which you will release in the
near future. Please send it to me by V.P.P.
I also wish you all success on the occasion of the First Schumacher Memorial Lecture which
you will be holding on 4th September. Unfortunately it will not be possible for me to attend this
meeting.
With best Wishes,
I remain yours truly,
M.V.D.BOGAERT S.J.,
Director

COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC & INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH, NEW DELHI

D.Bhushan, Scientist

13.07.1978

Dear Sri Jagadeesh,

Many thanks for your letter No.AJ/GC/3010/77-78 dated the 8th July, 1978 on the above
subject. Our Chief, Technology Utilization, Shri Baldev Singh has gone abroad and is likely to return
only by the end of this year. I am one of the so many scientists working with the CSIR.
I suggest, you may kindly consider obtaining a suitable message from Dr.A. Ramchandran,
Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Science and Technology and Director
General, Scientific and Industrial Research (Technology Bhavan, New Mehrauli Road, New Delhi
110 029).
I, however, wish to have a complimentary copy of your book as and when published, for my
personal use. I hope you will kindly keep my request in mind.
With best of regards,
Yours sincerely,
D.BHUSHAN

WHY THIS MONOGRAPH ON APPROPRIATE

TECHNOLOGY?
Today a world suffering from the danger of war and strife on the one hand and from disparities of income and
opportunities on the other, requires a new orientation to utilise the accumulated and growing knowledge of science
and technology which can bring peace and happiness to mankind. The gulf separating the rich and poor among the
nations as well as between the people of a country, is a challenge to science which must provide an answer by
discovering techniques which will help a progressive narrowing down of these differences. The knowledge and
application of science has the potentiality to reverse trends in the fields in which it has led to exploitation and
injustice since it has placed stress on greater and greater economic production and consumption rather than on the
needs of man and his integrated alround development. The focus will have to be changed from being industry-based
to being people-based. Science for the people, therefore will keep the interests of the weakest section as its priority
and have man as the measure of its growth. Both peace within the community and world peace are directly
connected with the right use of science. Therefore we have to aim at peace between the interests of the individual
and the social interests of the total community, and between the interests of the human species with all the other
forms of life and the total nature of which man is but one component.
In the last half century the application of science and technology was more towards the welfare of classes rather than
the masses. To bring this out I would like to give three examples of developments that have taken place in areas that
I know and with which I have some familiarity, namely Physic.
The electron was discovered towards the end of the last century. Within a decade, the first electronic valve, the
triode was invented. In another four decades, immediately after the Second World War, the solid state device,
known as the transistor was invented, giving rise to the birth of solid state electronics, which has today reached a
stage when several thousand devices making up an electronic circuit can be incorporated in one tiny chip of silicon.
And it is these developments that have made possible modern computers and space programmes to cite only two
examples. Thus, within three quarters of a century from the discovery of the electron, the field of electronics has
grown in an explosive fashion to permeate human life in a multitude of ways : in the form of radio and television,

public address systems, telephones and communication equipment, radars and defence equipment, in computers and
controls, in industry and medicine and in a whole variety of ways.
Let us consider as a second example, the area of nuclear science. It was about six decades ago that the nucleus of the
atom was discovered and three decades later that the phenomenon of nuclear fission was observed. Within a few
years of the discovery of nuclear fission, atom bombs based on this discovery wiped out the cities of Hiroshima and
Nagasaki. Today, there are enough weapons of destruction in the form of nuclear bombs and missiles to wipe out
human civilisation totally from the face of the earth if use were to be made of them. But on the positive side,
stemming from the same basic discoveries, there is increasing production of electric power through nuclear reactors
and the use of radio isotopes in medicine, agriculture, industry and so on. Those working in the areas of nuclear and
plasma physics might yet present humanity with a gift of limitless value by taming fusion reactions; these are the
reactions which provide by energy in the sun and in the stars, and which has ready been seen in destructive form on
earth as hydrogen bombs; if the fusion reactions can indeed be controlled, humanity will have an almost limitless
amount of energy available to it from water which is so abundant.
Let us take one more example where the time lag between discovery and application has been much less. Consider
the device know as the Laser. Less than two decades ago, was discovered the phenomenon of amplification based on
stimulated emission radiation. This made possible the development of masers operating with microwave radiation
and lasers operating with light. In the time that has elapsed, lasers have been used in surgery for attaching retinas in
the human eye which have become detached, for large scale destruction in the form of laser guided smart bombs
used over Vietnam, and for engineering purposes, for alignment over long distances. One is already working on the
possibility of using lasers for communication purposes with the enormously large bandwidths that they can provide.
We must remember that this field is only a decade and a half old.
From the above examples we can clearly see how the basic discovery of only a few tens of decades ago, essentially
in this century, has been developed and found application to an extent where they have an overriding impact on
human life.
Let us turn to the other side. The Indian society presents many incongruous dualities to an observer ostentation in
the midst of extreme poverty, sky-scrapers in the background of the sprawling slums, high level scientific
achievements in the midst of crude and traditional ways of life and methods of working, etc. The traditional bullock
cart is a monumental example of one aspect of this duality. Although we have made remarkable scientific and
technological advances over the past quarter century in a variety of fields, the bullock cart design, which belongs to
the previous century, has virtually remained the same.
Prof.Y.Nayudamma, in his address at Institute of Asian Studies, Hyderabad on 10.08.1976 on the topic CSIR and
spread of Science for Rural Development has clearly broughtout the difference. He says,

Since independence, India has made rapid strides in every walk of life. Phenomenal progress is seen in its
industrialisation, international trade, technical education, and scientific and industrial research.

However there is something amiss in Indian canvas. About 40 per cent of our people still live below the
minimum subsistence level. Eighty six per cent of such people live in our villages. Two hundred forty
million people in India live in utter destitution. Of them 200 million live in our half a million villages. It
only proves that the rural people have not been brought into the mainstream of our national endeavour to
contribute to the progress and share the fruits of our economic and industrial growth. It is true that a large
number of these rural poor are illiterate, but not ill-informed however. These poor and illiterate people have
learnt that a better life is not only possible for them but they have a right to better life. They cannot wait in
line indefinitely for the better days to come. We have to plan and work in this direction so that better days
for them could come sooner than expected. This is the imperative need of the nation and a challenge before
all thinking Indians.

It is well recognised that science and technology are the propellants for progress and prosperity and
catalysts for growth and development. The greater the capacity of a nation to generate, transfer and to
utilise the technology, the faster is its growth, progress and prosperity. Technology flow should be coupled
with financial flow. With the same capital, but with a twist in technology, greater outputs can be obtained.
Technology not only brings about change in production system but also influences social relations in this
system, changing the lifestyles, values and attitudes which in turn change technology. Technology is thus
culture specific. Therefore, the welding of capital, cultural and technology factors is essential for rapid
development.

The major question is how can science and technology help to fulfil the expectations of people. In an
attempt to catch up with the west, its modernisation and consumer civilization, we have only landed
ourselves in the pockets of affluence, in a sea of distress and destitution. We now realise mere increased
production is not enough; it should be coupled with the distributive justice. Economic development must be
coupled with social development.

Social development is centered around man. The country is not just soil. The country is people.
Development is really the development of the people, development of the capabilities in the people to be
self-confident, self-competent, self-dependent and self-reliant: to live in harmony with the environment and
to have a sense of values of human dignity.

The task of the leadership should basically be to modernise the traditional and traditionalise the modern.
This task becomes more difficult in old countries like India imbued with traditions, taboos, superstitions,
rituals, etc.

The need today, therefore, is for an integrated approach to couple natural and human resources with
modern tools, techniques and technologies and management methods; to practically demonstrate how the
living and working conditions of the people could be improved. To people; seeing is believing. Such an
approach should provide gainful employment to the people; help in building self-competence to utilise their
own skills and resources; a feeling of adventure and pride in achievement; a faith in science and inculcation
of attitudes rational scientific attitudes, to bring about a cultural change and always looking out for a
change for better.

The object is to change the face of under development of the people through application of science and
technology at the grass-roots level and bringing science to the doors of the people that need it. The object is
to fill the people with faith in science and involve them in creative and productive endeavours.

It is in this back-ground, Society of Science for the People was formed at Nellore. So far over 50 schemes on
science utilisation for the masses and some models have been drawn and brought to the attention of the authorities.
The response so far is quite encouraging. Some of the schemes have already been implemented and many more are
under the active consideration of various laboratories. Also international agencies like Food and Agriculture
Organisation, Rome; National Science Foundation, Washington, USA etc. are considering some of the schemes for
possible implementation in developing countries.
We dont claim we have achieved much success in the field but humbly confesse, we have made a good beginning.
With wide man power available in our country and the Scientific and Technological establishment, the scope for
bringing prosperity to villages is limitless provided we act with firm will. Afterall Man is not less if he has failed,
man is less if he has not faced.
Here it may not be out of place to recall the words of Robert S.McNamara, President, World Bank (Address to the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 28.4.77)

Man is still young in cosmic terms. He has been on earth for a million years or so. And our modern
ancestor, Homo Sapiens, for a hundred thousand years.

But the universe of which he is a part is some twenty billion years old.

And if we represent the history of the universe by a line a mile long, then modern man has appeared on that
line for only a fraction of an inch.

In that time perspective, he is recent, and tentative and perhaps even experimental. He makes mistakes.
And yet, if he is truly sapiens thinking and wise-then surely there is promise for him.

Problems, Yes. But very great promise if we will but act.

I am sure the monograph will serve as a source to identify and solve the problems faced in rural areas through the
application of science and technology.
I am grateful to Honble Vice-President, Governors of Different States for their valuable messages. I take this
opportunity to express my grateful thanks to my parents who were generous in encouraging me in this onerous task.
My sincere thanks are to Prof. Y.Nayudamma, Dr.M.S. Swaminathan, Dr.C.Gopalan, Director General, ICMR;

Dr.A.Ramachndran, Director General, CSIR; Dr.M.Santhappa, Director, CLRI; Dr.P.M.Bhargava, Deputy Director,
R.R. Laboratory, Hyderabad; Dr.B.L.Amla, Director,CFTRI; Shri Devendra Kumar, Director, Centre of Science for
Villages; Prof. R.Ramanna, Director, BARC; Dr.Malcolm. S.Adiseshaiah, Vice-Chancellor, University of Madras;
Dr.Jai Krishna, Vice-Chancellor, University of Roorkee; Dr.B.D. Nag Chaudhury, Vice-Chancellor, Jawaharlala
Nehru University; Prof.B.D. Tilak, Director, National Chemical Laboratory; Prof.N.C. Varshaneya, Department of
Physics, University of Roorkee; Mr.Frank Press, Science & Technology Advisor to U.S. President, Prof. A.A.
Strassenburg, Executive Officer, American Association of Physics Teachers, New York; Director General, FAO,
Rome; Dr.V.H. Potty, Head, Consultancy Services, CFTRI; Dr.T.N.Koshoo, Director National Botanic Gardens; Dr.
Nityanand, Director, Central Drug Research Institue; Dr.Y.Prabhakara Reddy, Department of Physics, S.V.
Univeristy; Dr.S.Venkata Ramaiah, Department of Psycholosgy, S.V. University for their encouragement and help.
My sincere thanks are to the various Scientists and Educationists from home and abroad who were very generous in
sending their valuable messages.
Last but not least, I express my grateful thanks to my friends who helped in compiling this monograph.
Science to Serve Society Society to Support Science

A.JAGADEESH
Convener
Society of Science for the People
2/210, Nawabpet
NELLORE 524 002 A.P. India

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE PROGRAMMES

AFFORESTATION
The United Nations Conference on Desertification (UNCOD) held at Nairobi in September, 1977 proposed the plan
of action designed to link national schemes to re-green deserts through out the world. It is proposed that the plan
should start in 1978 and be implemented by the end of the century.
In fact Reafforesation will bring rewards. Among many impressive examples, one of the most striking is in Saudi
Arabia where the highly fertile El Ashsaa Oasis, watered from underground aquifers, was threatened by sand dunes.
Since 1962, 10 million tamarisk, acacia and eucalyptus trees have been planted on 500 hectares. Encroachment has
been checked and 14 villages have been saved from the dunes.
As a follow up action to the proposal of UNCOD, I have drawn a scheme of AFFORESTATION.
There are millions of hectares of waste land. Cant something useful be exploited from this ? The forest area
compared to the total area in square Km. State-wise is given below.
State

Andhra Pradesh
Assam
Bihar
Gujarat
Haryana
Himachal Pradesh
Karnataka
Kerala
Madhya Pradesh
Nagaland
Orissa

Total Area in Sq.Km.

2,76,814
73,538
1,73,876
1,95,984
44,222
55,673
1,91,773
38,864
4,42,841
16,527
1,55,782

Forest area %

22.50 %
21.70 %
17.00 %
9.00 %
3.40 %
38.30 %
16.00 %
24.00 %
17.30 %
17.56 %
43.00 %

Rajasthan
Punjab
Tamil Nadu
Uttar Pradesh
West Bengal
Goa, Daman & Dieu
Mizoram
Source

: India, Published
Government of India.

3,42,214
50,362
1,30,069
2,94,413
87,853
3,813
21,087
by

Publications

Division,

10.60 %
4.20 %
17.00 %
8.60 %
13.40 %
28.60 %
20.00 %
Ministry

of

Information

and

Broadcasting,

There are many trees which grow very wildly even with less water. To name a few, we have Annona Squamosa
(Seethaphal), Agave (Americana). The fruit of Annona Squamosa contains many seeds. The NSS Volunteers in
colleges and Universities can spray the seed of Annona Squamosa in Government Vacant lands during monsoon.
The seed of the fruit yield 21 to 29 % oil. The characteristics of the oil are :
Sp. Gr. At 150 C
N 600 D
Saponification Value
Iodine number
R.M. Value
Poplenske Value
Unsaponification matter

0.92116
1.4558
181 to 183.3
85.6 to 88.2
0.6
0.2
0.2 %

The oil contains the following percentage percentages of acids.

Oleic
Linoleic
Palmitic
Stearic
Cerotic

18.1
55.1
14.7
10.7
00.9

These acids are used in the preparation of :

Oleic Acid

Soap base, manufacture of oleates, ointments, cosmetics, polishing compound, Lubricants, ore
floatation,
organic
synthetic
intermediate,
surface coatings.

Linoleic Acid :

Soaps, special driers, for protective coatings, emulsifying agents, medicine, foods, feeds,
biochemical research.

Palmitic Acid :

Starting point in the manufacture of various matallic palmitates, soaps, lube oils, water proofing.

Stearic Acid

Chemicals, especially stearates and stearic driers, lubricants, soaps, candles, pharmaceuticals
and cosmetics, rubber compounding, shoe and metal polishes, coatings, food packaging.

The oil in general is used in the manufacture of paints and varnishes.

Demand for Edible Oils :

In normal years, the per capita availability of edible oil in the country averages
3.5 Kg.and about 1 Kg. of Vanaspati, as against 25 to 30 Kg. in western countries. The total requirement of
vegetable oils in the country, as of today, is estiamted at 40 lakh tonnes, compared to the present availability of 30
lakh tonnes. There is thus a gap of 10 lakh tonnes.
It is estimated that by 1980-81, the demand would go up to 55 lakh tonnes, while the availability would be around
35 lakh tonnes. The gap would, therefore, widen to 20 lakh tonnes. The reasons for this are not far to seek. The

acreage available for oil seeds cultivation would further diminish due to a corresponding increase in the cultivation
of rice and wheat, on the one hand, and the faster increase in population on the other. The situation is, therefore,
quite alarming.
If this shortfall has to be met by imports, it would mean a foreign exchange drainage of about Rs.1,000 crores a year
as of now, and about Rs.2,000 crores by 1980-81. We cannot afford it at any rate. And, hence need for an
alternative. It lies in tapping the entire tree and forest origin seeds generally known as minor oilseeds which are
now going a waste.

Varieties of Minor Oil Seeds :

In the entire forest belt of Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Border of Nepal, Bihar and West
Bengal, M.P., Orissa, U.P. and some parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka, hundreds of trees and forest based oil
seeds are abundantly available.
Some of them are : Salseed, Mango Kernel, Neem Seed, Babul, Mahua, Kokum, Palm, Date, Nahor, Undi, Pisa,
Karanja, Kusum Seed, Jackfruit Seed, Bobbie, Maroti, Eurahonne, Mahera, Rubber Seed, Ratahjot, Tamarind Seed,
Kamala, Dhupa, Tea seed, Jute seed, Tobacco seed, Khakan etc. - by no means an exhaustive list.
Though the potential of minor oilseeds in different forest belts of India is immeasurable, a modest estimate can,
however, be made as follows :
Sal Seed : The total potential of Sal Seed, particularly in Orissa, M.P., U.P., Bihar and West Bengal, is estimated
around 60 lakh tonnes a year. Its collection started as late as 1967 on a very modest scale, and although the
collection has increased, it is till 1.2 lakh tonnes a year, hardly 1/60 th of the total availability.
Neem Seed : Its potential is also quite high, since it is available all over the country. A modest estimate puts it at
around 20 lakh tonnes, but very little is being collected now, hardly 1 lakh tonnes.
Mango Kernel : The other important minor oil seed is mango kernel and its total potential is about 20 lakh tonnes a
year, but, its collection throughout the country now is hardly 10,000 tonnes a year.
Other Minor Oilseeds : Other minor oil seeds which would include Mahua (one million tonnes), Kusum (2 lakh
tonnes) Khakan (2 lakh tonnes), Karanja (5 lakh tonnes), Kokum, Babul, Undi, Dhupa etc., would have a total
potential of about 10 million tonnes a year.
Thus the total potential of minor oil seeds all over the country can be safely estimated at 2 crore tonnes.
(Source : Oil seeds Wealth from waste, Indian Express, by Prof. N.SEN, Chief Executive, Minor Oils and Oil
seeds Association of India).
The Government vacant lands can be assigned to Educational Institutions on long term lease basis. A nominal
amount of Re.1/- per hectare per year can be charged.
We have many canals and tanks. We can plant Euclyptus, teak and Casurina on the banks. Since these canals carry
water rich in minerals, these trees grow wildly. As the trees grow erect, they wont be any obstruction. Besides
yielding fire wood it will prevent soil erosion.
The Greenery provides protection to the eye, besides maintaining ecological balance.
The scheme has been sent to The World Bank, UNESCO, F.A.O., Union Government, All State Governments, all
Universities etc. The response is over whelming. Some NSS Co-ordinators sent copies of the scheme to the colleges
under their control, for implementation. Some State Governments have been asked to undertake the project. Here are
a few

REACTIONS
..We appreciate the interest you are taking in the plan of action proposed by the United Nations
Conference on Decertification and your initiative to promote simple ideas which, if promoted on a large scale, could
have a considerable impact in solving food and agricultural products requirements.

Yours afforestation proposal in waste land by using trees for multiple purpose usages like food, feed, fiber,
pharmaceutical products, firewood is interesting. I am circulating your plan to the Forestry Department whose
experts, I am sure, will make good use of it.
F.J.MOUTTAPA
Senior Officer
(Natural Resources & Human Environment)
F.A.O., ROME
..I am enclosing a copy of letter received from Shri A.Jagadeesh, Convenor, Nawabpet, Nellore, A.P.
with a request that you kindly undertake the scheme suggested in the letter under NSS.
Director of Students Welfare &
NSS Co-ordinator,
Marathwada University,
Aurangabad
..We appreciate your keen interest in the programme on reafforestation and suggesting seeding with
Annona Squamosa. I suggest that the idea may be brought to the attention of the Department of Agriculture and
Forestry of the State and Central Governments.
Dr.J.S.Kanwar,
Associate Director,
ICRISAT, Hyderabad
..I wish to state that the NSS Units of Colleges in this University area have been requested to
undertake this project under the area of Tree Planting Programme of NSS regular activities.
Capt.V.S. Subbaraman,
Director NSS,
University of Madras
..I am desired to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of your letter No.AJ/GC/ 2659/77-78, dated
13.02.1978 addressed to the Governor, Orissa, and to say that the same has been forwarded to the Secretary to the
Government of Orissa, Education and Youth Services Department.
Deputy Secretary to the Governor
ORISSA
..Your ideas on afforestaion are extremely useful. I will certainly keep them in mind during the
implementation of Tree Plantation Programme of our NSS Units.
Dr.D.Babu Rao,
Programme Co-ordinator,
NSS Osmania University,
Hyderabad
..With reference to the above letter of the Director NSS, Madras University, the NSS Unit of this
college has planted 15 saplings of ANNONA SQUAMOSA (Seetha Phal) in the college campus on 09.01.1978.
This is for your kind information.
Principal
C.K.Naidu College for Women, Cuddalore.
..I am directed to arrange to Plant Annona Squamosa in waste land. If you are kind enough to send
200 grams of seed, I am very grateful to you. If it is not availabl, kindly inform where the seeds can be obtained.
Principal Chairman, NSS,
Poompuhar Peravai Kalloori, Melayur
..I am happy to note the proposal of the United Nations Conference on Desertification (UNCOD) held
at Nairobi in September, 1977, giving importance to the plan of designing to link National Schemes to re-green

desert throughout the world and hence the University has to objection to associate with the scheme, and Tree
Plantation can be taken up as a programme of NSS activities. It will be highly appreciated if you can give necessary
information regarding the availability of seeds of Annona Squamosa, at your earliest convenience.
Director of Student Services,
For Registrar, University of Kerala, Trivendrum
..Our NSS unit helps in maintaining the garden trees and lawns in the college, kitchen garden in the
college hostel and village schools, slums and homes regularly and also under-takes special intensive tree planting
campaign periodically.
On 20.10.1977 and 21.01.1978 we have planted the following saplings in our adopted villages, namely :
Pachapalayaam
Perur Chettipalayam
Tamarind saplings
Vagai sapplings
Seethaphal sapplings

:
:
:
:

Thondamuthur Panchayat Union,

Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu
150
150
100

They are being carefully looked after by the local people.

Principal
NSS Unit, Govt. Arts College,
Coimbatore.
..In connection with UNCOD I am taking the steps for implementation. Please arrange to send the
seeds as mentioned in your letter.
Prof.S.V.Pathan, Incharge NSS,
Maulana Azad College, Aurangabad.
..We request you to direct the village Munisiffs of Pachal, Madavalam and Tirupattur village to give
us information about the extent of lakes and tanks large irrigation canal for the planting of seethaphal saplings. We
have been informed by Shri A.Jagadeesh, Convenor, Society of Science for People, 2-210, Nawabpet, Nellore, that
the plant Annona Squamosa (Seethaphal) produces fruits with many seeds containing 21 to 28 % valuable
vegetable oil for use.
We hope that this programme will not only yield the oil but also prevent soil erosin along the large irrigation canals,
lake bunds etc.
Rev.A.Panampara, SDB., Principal,
Scared Heart College, Tirupattur,
..I am directed to refer to letter No.GS.XIV/1285/559/78, dated 22.02.1978 from the Deputy
Secretary to Governor of Gujarat on the subject mentioned above and to state that in Gujarat, action has already
been taken to re-green desert throughout the state since last so many plans. The area covered under the scheme
plantation on desert border is 24,000 hectares. Apart from this vast areas of waste land and Panchayat land is
covered under the Social Forestry scheme. The trees on annona squamosa (Sitaphal) and Agave (Americana) are
being planted and results are very encouraging.
Section Officer,
Agriculture, Forest and Cooperation Dept.
Sachivalaya, Gandhinagar.
..Thanks for your kind letter, enclosing a note on adopting of forests by educational institutions. I
have gone through it and will try to use it whenever can.
Krishan Kant,
Member of Parliament,
Lok Sabha, New Delhi.
..I am directed to refer to your letter dated the 6 th April, 1977 on the above mentioned subject
addressed to the Union Education Minister and to state that copy of scheme prepared by you has been forwarded to
the under mentioned Ministries / Departments of Government of India :

i.

Department of Rural Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi.
(Attention Shri B.K.Sharma, Joint Secretary) Prg.
ii. Department of Social Welfare, (Attention Shri M.M. Rajendran, J.S. NCD) Shastri Bhavan, New Delhi.
iii. Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, (Shri S.K.Sath, I.G. Forests) Krishi Bhavan,
New Delhi.
iv. Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Nirman Bhavan, New Delhi.
So far as this Ministry concerned it may be pointed out that Youth for Afforestation and Tree Plantation was one
of the two themes for special camping programme conducted by NSS during 1975-1976. Afforestation and Tree
Plantation forms an important sector of activities being undertaken by NSS as part of the programme of Youth for
Rural Reconstruction in the country.
M.D.Gupta,
Asst. Educational Adviser,
Minister of Education & S.W.,
New Delhi.
..The letter sent by you has been examined in the Ministry. The idea of involving student community
in raising trees has already been accepted by Government of India and State Forest Departments have been asked to
give it a practical shape by organising NSS camps, student Camps etc. for the purpose. Some of the States have
already taken initiative in engaging school children in raising fruit trees, vegetables etc. on community lands. Your
request is being forwarded to the Andhra Pradesh Government who are the competent authority to take suitable
action in this regard.
S.B.Palit
Deputy Inspector General of Forests (SP)
Ministry of Agriculture & Irrigation, New Delhi.
..Your News Letter No.5 for May/June 1978 on Science for the People addressed to the Office of the
Director-General was passed on to me. I was interested to go through your paper on Oilseeds Wealth from
Waste. It is an interesting paper and I have requested comments from my colleagues in various concerned units of
FAO.
I will be in touch with you again once I have the information and advice of these units. I will write to you again in
case we have some specific points to make.
Dr. M.L.Dewan, Chief
Regional Bureau for Asia & Far East,
FAO ROME
..I am happy to know that you are encouraging such a noble work in our country.
Our University plants every year a large number of tree seedlings under National Social Service Programme. Last
year our students planted 10,000 seedlings and this year we are planning to plant 40,000 seedlings.
Your communication was very informative about seethaphal and hope you will continue to give us such
informations. Apart from plains and tarai, we have eight Hill districts of Uttar Pradesh for research and extention
work, where vast denuded hill slopes are available for afforestation. Our main problem in planting such areas is
finance. In case you can help us in getting funds from UNCOD to handle such areas, we will send project for
afforestation of U.P. Hills to you.
Dr.Dharampal Singh,
Vice-Chancellor,
G.B.Pant University of Agricultural & Technology
Pant Nagar, District, Nainital,
Uttar Pradesh.
THE WORLD BANK
Washington, D.C. 20433,
U.S.A.

Dear Mr.Jagadeesh:
Mr.McNamara has asked me to thank you for sending along your proposal for Afforestation.
He appreciates having your views and it was kind of you to write.
Sincerely,
Marjorie W.Messiter
Dear Dr.Jagadeesh,
Thank you for your most interesting letters of April 2 nd and 5th addressed to Mr.Macnamara and myself,
respectively.
We are certainly most interested in assisting India to develop rurally oriented forestry programmes.
We have recently appraised for Bank financing, two forestry projects in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat,
respectively. The primary objective of both these forestry programs is to develop forestry resources needed for rural
populations with special emphasis on fuelwood, fodder and other by-products.
The material which you attached to your letters is most interesting and I have forwarded a copy of it to
Mr.R.D.H.Rowe a Forestry Specialist who is working with the Banks projects team in the New Delhi office of the
World Bank. We hope that he will be able to make use of your material in further development of the projects which
we are about to finance and, possibly, others in due course.
With kind regards,
Yours sincerely,
John S.Spears, Forestry Adviser
Agriculture & Rural Development Department,
The World Bank, U.S.A.

TECHNOLOGY TO PRESERVE PULP AND

EXTRACT ACIDS FROM SITAPHAL
..In this connection, we write to inform you that some work has been done at this Institute some years
ago regarding preservation of custard apple pulp, a summary of which is given below for perusal.
The custard apple of eating stage of maturity is cut into halves and the pulp and seeds are scooped out with stainless
steel spoons. The pulp and seeds so obtained are passed through a pulping machine fitted with 30 mesh sieve and
then through a 60 mesh stainless steel sieve to separate the pulp free of seeds and fibrous matter. The yield of pup
has been found to vary from 20 to 25 per cent of the whole fruit.
The pulp contains about 20 % sugar and 0.3 % acid as anhydrous citric acid. It is of creamy white colour and has a
thick consistency. The pulp, when subjected to heat treatment, develops bitter after-taste thus making the
conventional method of preservation by heat impracticable. It also turns pink, when exposed to air, due to
peroxidase activity.
To preserve the pulp, it is necessary to raise the sugar concentration to 40 % by addition of sugar, acidity to 1 %
citric acid with 0.1 % sodium benzoate and 50-100 ppm sulphur dioxide. These are mixed thoroughly and then filled
in either containers, both plain and lacquered. When tin containers are used, they are vaccum sealed after filling
them three-fourth full with pulp.
The product prepared thus has been found to be acceptable when stored at room temperature for six months.
Dr. V.H.Potty,
Head, Industrial Development
& Consultancy
Services, CFTRI, Mysore
..I thank you for your letter regarding depulping the fruit of Annona Sqamosa and suitable technology
with regard to the development of various acids available in the fruit. I shall revert to this matter a little later after I
have had a discussion with my Scientists.
Dr. M.Santappa,
Director, CLRI
MADRAS

GROWING PHYLLANTHUS EMBLICA(AMLA)

IN VACANT LANDS
It is being discovered that Vitamin C, which plays a major role in the human bodys immunity mecahnism, can help
fight cancer.
American cancer clinics recently established that patients treated with Vitamin C showed a better blood picture and
according to a German weekly, this was borne out by initial cautious experiments in a British Hospital some six
years ago.
Some 100 cancer patients in a late stage of the disease were given five and later 10 grams of Ascorbie acid per day
and the general impression was that their physical and mental well-being was greatly improved and they needed
considerably fewer pain-killers.
The report said that maximum dosage of Vitamin C that should have the greatest effect on the course of the illness is
unfortunately still not known.

But excess dosage cannot harm the patient and there have been no ill-effects from dosage upto 50 grams a day
injected intravenously, the report clarified.
Doctors and researchers seem to agree that this simple treatment can prevent or greatly delay a recurrence of the
tumor. This might mean that medicine has entered a new stage in its fight against cancer.``
At present we have synthetic Vitamin C tablets like Redoxine, Chewsee and Drops like Cecon. But nature provides
fruits which are rich in Vitamin C. We have Phyllanthus Emblica (Amla) whose chemical analysis revealed:
Moisture

81.8 %

Phosphorous

20 mg/100 g.
1.2 mg/100 g

Protein

0.5 %

Iron

Fat

0.1 %

Carotene

9 ug /100 g

Minerals

0.5 %

Thiamine

0.03 mg/100 g

3.4 %

Riboflavin

0.01 mg/100 g

Fibre
Carbohydrates
Energy
Calcium

13.7 %
58 K.Cal.

Niacin

0.2 mg/100 g

Vitamin C

600 mg/100 g

50 mg/100 g

From the above analysis it is clear, most valuable mutrient factor in amla is vitamin C or ascorbic acid. Vitamin C
content upto 720 mg/10s0 g of fresh pulp and 921 mg/100 ml. Of fresh juice has been recorded. The fruit is also a
rich source of pectin. A tannin, containing gallic acid, ellagic acid and glucose in its molecule and naturally present
in the fruit, prevents or retards oxidation of the vitamin.
Recently some medical firms manufactured Garlic pearls made from natural Garlic. These are very popular. In the
same way we can also manufacture natural vitamin C tablets and drops.
For this we need sufficient quantity of raw phyllanthus Emblica fruits. As the plant grows wildly even with less
water, NSS Volunteers in Universities and Colleges can undertake, the project of growing these trees in Government
vacant lands. International agencies like FAO, UNEP, UNESCO etc. can fund this project in developing countries
through their branch organisations.

REACTIONS
.. Thank you very much for sending a copy of the Science for the People News Letter No.5, titled
Phyllanthus Embilca (Amla) Cultivation in vacant Lands. It has given me an interesting reading. I must
congratulate you for this commendable effort by which you are disseminating knowledge of science among the
masses.
I also assure you of my all out support and cooperation in this sacred task.
Dr.G.S.JOHAR,
Department of Chemistry,
V.S.S.D.Collge, KANPUR.
.. A word of thanks and acknowledgement for the Project on growing Phyllanthus Emblica (Amla) in
Vacant Lands.
I am passing it on to our Rural Development Department as it will be a useful addition to our documentation.
MVD Bogaert S.J., Director
Xavier Institute of Social Service,
RANCHI
.. I thank you for the copy of Science for the People.
Incidentally, during my conversation with Prof. Linus Pauling, I brought up the Indian belief that AMLA is
considered to be a panacea for all diseases. As he was unaware of this and that it has served as a commercial source
of Vitamin C, the Nobel Laurete showed lot of interest in the same.

I find it very wonderful that you are following the idea of planting this tree all over the country and involve the NSS
Volunteers in this venture. Kindly do write to the Director, NSS, Delhi University and in the meantime I shall get in
touch with him, too. Prof. Pauling will readily help you and give support for the scheme from International agencies.
I suggest, therefore, that you write to him, as well.
Wishing you success in your very promising venture.
Dr.S.V. Eswaran,
Lecturer, St.Stephens College,
Delhi 110 007.
.. Sometime back I received a letter from Prof.Linus Pauling. It reads, as follows :
I think that Mr. Jagadeeshs idea is a good one. He asks that I use my good offices in implementing the scheme in
developing countries. I am not sure what action I should take that is, I do not know who to write to about this
matter.
Please tell him that I think that the idea is a good one.
Let me have your reactions. In case, you have any positive ideas that we may communicate, we could write again.
In the mean time I shall pickup the threads in Delhi, Government & Private circles.
Dr.S.V. Eswaran,
Lecturer, St.Stephens College
DELHI 110 007
.. I thank you for your letter dated 23 rd March, 1978. I entirely agree with you that we should lay
more stress on not only increasing the area under forest but also on increasing the productivity per unit area. A
number of Agricultural Universities have also taken up projects on farm forestry. The Jute Agricultural Research
Institute has an active research programme on improvement of Agave. The fruits like Amla and Seethapal need to be
popularised and I had written to our Universities a number of times on this aspect and I will be writing to them to
raise nurseries of these plants and supply to the farmers.
Dr.M.S.Swaminathan,
Director General,
ICAR, New Delhi.
.. I am thankful to you for your letter No.AJ/GC/2909/77-78, dated March 13, 1978 and the literature
on Amla (Phyllanthus Emblica).
We have requested the local Revenue Authorities to make available enough land for planting 40,000 tree seedlings
during next July by the students of this University under the NSS programme. A project on forest farming is being
formulated for U.P. Hills where more than 50 percent land areas is without any vegetation. As and when it is ready, I
will send it to you for getting financial help through FAO or UNESCO.
For Annona Squamosa and Phyllanthus Emblica seed you may contact M/s. Pratap Nurseries and Seedsmen,
Panditwari, P.O. Premnagar, Dehradun (U.P.) who deal in tree seeds and seedlings and can manage to arrange
supply of large quantities.
Dr. Dharmpal Singh,
Vice-Chancellor,
G.B.Pant University of Ag., Pantnagar.
..While we note with interest your idea regarding use of Vitamin C present in Amla for the
preparation of tablets we have the following comments to offer :
It will be possible to convert the fruit into some sort of a beverage but from the marketing point of view its
acceptability will be a big question mark. Moreover Vitamin C in aqueous phase is known to get oxidized and such a
beverage my slowly show reduction in Vitamin C content during storage and marketing. As far as we are concerned
technical feasibility is there and if there are any enterpreneurs willing to come into this line we may try to do some
preliminary work and indicate the relevant aspects of the process.

Regarding conversion of the whole Amla into tablets like product there may be some difficulty which can be
categorized into (a) drying of the pulp under mild conditions to prevent oxidation of Vitamin C (b) incorporation of
suitable additives which will make the product amenable to tablet preparation; (c) stability of the tablet during
storage.
We feel that the best way of consuming the fruit will be in the fresh form since it is known to preserve for a longer
time without any processing. If there is no any R & D work is to be done which will have a national application, we
will be most happy to do so.
Dr.V.H.Potty, Head,
Industrial Development &
Consultancy / Services,
CFTRI, MYSORE.
.. I am in receipt of your New Letter No.5 March/April, 1978 on Growing Phyllanthus Emblica
(Amla) in vacant lands. I wish you very great success in your efforts to introduce people to sow seeds of Amla as
well as Annona I feel that seeds of a better quality be
passed on to the people so that better quality of fruits could be harvested in due course of time.
H.N.Mathur, Conservator of Forests,
Environmental Research Stations
Forest Research Institute & Colleges
DEHRADUN
.. Kindly refer to your letter No.AJ/GC/2907/77-78 dated March 7, 1978 on the above subject
addressed to Director, BARC. Your scheme has been forwarded to me for suitable action. In this connection I wish
to offer the following comments :
Your observations regarding the chemical composition of Phyllanthus Emblica (Amla) are authoritative and the
imporatance of Vitamin C in human health is well documented.
I am sure that you are aware that Vitamin C is now commercially produced by a microbiological cum synthetic
procedure and is available at economical prices. It is doubtful whether Vitamin C extracted from amla will compete
in price with the synthetic Vitamin C. Perhaps you need to work out the economics of the product prepared
according to your scheme.
Amla is already used quite extensively in India in the formulation of Ayurvedic preparations and in the form of
domestic condiments. As such it is already finding its use in human health and food. Perhaps it will be better if work
on the use of amla as a dietary supplement is propagated in forms which are already known or in improved forms
which have acceptable qualities of taste etc.
Dr.M.S.CHADA, Head,
Bio-Organic Division,
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
.. This venture is indeed overdue. Many scientific accomplishments and innovations lie buried in the
voluminous literature. Sorting out this for the common man is a painstaking affair. This area is much neglected. I
congratulate you for this venture and wish you all success. At the same time I assure you all humble help and
contributions from my side. Mr.Jagadeesh, you have chosen a noble job, useful to the common man translating
science and its accomplishments for the practical use of humanity and its betterment.
Best of luck and best of best wishes.
Dr.James Mathew, Asst. Professor
Department of Plant Pathology
College of Agriculture
Vellayana P.O. Trivendrum

MANY USES OF AGAVE (AMERICANA)

The AGAVE plants are known for their succulent leaves and hard long fibres, which are comparable to Manila
Hemp. The original plants were Mexican in origin and lately widely occurring in India also on the railway track and
village borders. There are 3 species which grow in India.
AGAVE (Americana) was known to produce juice which was drunk in Mexico. A distilled spirit known as Mescal
was produced. The fibrous material of the plant consists of 73 to 78 % LIGNIFIED CELLULOSE. The dried residue
left over after extraction of fibres contains about 10 % fermentable sugars.
This plant grows widely under a variety of environmental conditions without water. Local people extract fibre by
putting the plant in mud for a month and hammering it on a stone to remove the pulp. Ropes which are smooth and
strong are manufactured from this fibre. The plant when put in water for longer times produces a very bad smell.
This led me to think of using it to produce biogas in gober gas plants.
Since the plant has Cellulose, can we use it in paper manufacture ? If this is possible, the plant can be grown in lakhs
of hectares of waste land.

REACTIONS
.. Thank you very much for your letter of 14 June in which you kindly drew our attention to the
potential uses of Agave, Coconut and certain weeds.
I agree with you that these potentials should be investigated in a systematic manner and we hope to be able to extend
these investigations, in the near future, to the agave plants and then to minor palms, depending on available
resources. The field of investigation is immense but rewarding.
Thanking you for your interest in FAOs work.
O.Brauer, Director
Plant Production and Protection Division, FAO ROME
.. We acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated 31 st May 1978 along with a note on Austrian
Process for waste recovery in pulp plants and another note on Extraction of cellulose from Agave.
Regarding the first note, we would like to inform you that, the process described therein, pertains to the recovery of
chemicals from sulphite pulping of raw materials. The sulphite pulping method to get cellulose from raw materials is
almost obsolete these days for so many reasons. Only very few sulphite mills have recently tried to develop recovery
systems while others have either closed or switched over to sulphate pulping process.
Regarding the note on Agave we would like to state that, some work was carried out in our laboratory on this raw
material. It was observed that, the fibrous portion obtained from Agave leaves after retting is suitable for producing
good pulp from which paper of high strength can be made in the laboratory. However, Agave leaves contain about
90 % moisture. It is essential that for starting or running a pulp and paper industry, these should be adequate
availability of the cellulosic raw material on a sustained basis and the pulping and paper making process should be
economically feasible. A new pulp mill is being erected in Brazil, which is based on the raw material Sisal Agave.
N.S.JASPAL,
Deputy Works Manager,
The West Coast Paper Mills Ltd.
Bangur Nagar, Karnataka.
.. As regards Agave (Americana), it is a grass similar to Sabai. How far it will be conomical to adopt
this raw material for paper making in India is yet to be investigated. Main factor for such economy lies in its bulk
availability, present cost at mill site and its bulk. If you could give such information and also send to us a sample of
50 kg. of the material, we could investigate its pulping economy and usefulness.
Dr.N.D. MISRA
Technical Superintendent
The Sirpur Paper Mills Ltd.
SIRPUR Kagaznagar, A.P.

.. Several members of my staff have read your letter of 29 May addressed to the Director-General and
its attachments with considerable interest. They have been unable to put forward specific comments on the merits of
the proposed use of agave residue for biogas production without further information on research results, despite the
fact that these residues appear to contain some fermentable materials. In the production of juice for fermented
beverages from agave in Mexico, the trunk or barrel of the plant is generally used, rather than the leaves.
Similarly, information on properties and experimental data on utilisation of SALVINIA will first of all be required.
Perhaps you may wish to propose these subjects for study to the Indian Council of Scientific and Industrial
Research. Some units in FAO would be interested eventually to learn about the results.
The medical aspects of coconut water and any findings of research would be of interest to the World Health
Organization. Thank you very much for bringing your thoughts on the uitlisation of weeds to our attention.
G.O.Kermode, Officer-in-charge
Food Policy and Nutrition Division
FAO ROME.
.. Glad to hear about your scheme. My best wishes are always there for your successful endeavours.
You can try a few more species for the dry tracts. Viz., Cassia auriculata, Acacia autriculiform is, Acacia tortelis
(from Israel), neem, Tamarindus etc. Annona Swamosa is not found wild in U.P., Rajastan, West Bengal and Orissa.
Agave, of course, is already an established small plantation crop in several northern states.
I shall be pleased to hear about your latest programmes and progress.
Dr.V.BHASKAR,
Department of Farm Forestry,
University of Agricultural Sciences,
Hebbal, Bangalore.

GROWING CALOTROPIS TO CONTROL

RED HAIRY CATER PILLAR
The Plant CALOTROPIS grows wildly throughout India. This plant has large leaves. The Latex is generally used
by rural people to cure wounds.
In Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh, India, groundnut is being grown in thousands of acres. The crop is attacked by
RED HAIRY CATER PILLAR which reduces the yield considerably. I found when the leaves of Calotropis are
placed in the groundnut field the cater pillar consumes the plant leaves, which results in arresting Pupation. Thus
the menace of the cater pillar can be tackled. This caterpillar appears on groundnut crop more under rain fed
conditions. As such if through research is carried out on the above observation, I am sure this will help immensely
the farmers growing groundnut.
With the wide use of chemical fertilisers, the natural fertility of the soil is reduced gradually. There is the need to
enrich the soil and also to conserve the fertility by the use of green manure. With wide mechanization, the animals
have become scarce and hence the animal dung.
Here I recall the famour equation : C

B:E

The carrying capacity of any land depends on the biotic potential and the environmental resistance.
Calotropis offers a rich source of green manure and grows wildly. Hence this can be grown in Government vacant
lands.

REACTIONS

Dear Sir,
I have been asked to reply to your letter dated February 6 to Mr.McNamara concerning biological control
of red hairy caterpillars and low-cost water transportation.
With regard to the former, the Bank works in close association with the Commonwealth Bureau for
Biological Control and utilizes its skills and services for necessary work in these areas. I am sure that the
Government of India is aware of the work of the Bureau and is cooperating with it in the biological control of crop
and other pests. With regard to the possibility of transportation of water through the trunks of Borassus palms, while
I agree that this may be possible in some areas, the presence of the palms is somewhat localised and I would suspect
that the cost of felling and drilling of palms and joining the trunks together would probably be more than the cost of
provision of more conventional transportation channels. Additionally, the impact of wide scale felling of the trees on
the environment would tend to be deleterious. For those reasons therefore I do not believe that the method you
propose could have more than very limited utility. Nevertheless, I thank you for your interest in the possibilities of
utilising appropriate technology in the development of the rural sector.
Yours sincerely,
Donald C.Pickering,
Assistant Director
Agriculture and Rural Development Department
The World Bank, U.S.A.

Rat Poison From The Latex Of Euphorbia Antiquorum

During sowing of Groundnut, the crows were a menace as they used to take away the seed. When the Latex of
Euphorbia Antiquorum mixed in cooked rice and placed on trees, the crows after eating it died with in minutes.
Thus the crow problem is solved. This led me to think of using the Latex to kill rats. Obviously the Latex must be
vary poisonous.
Of course we are having many rodenticides available readily in the market. But the plant Euphorbia Antiquirum
grows wildly and occurs widely. As such the poison is readily available locally.

Starch From Borassus Flabellifer Linn

Borassus (Palm) tree grows wildly in South India and is popularly known as VERSATILE (Kalpatharuvu) inview
of its many uses. No part of it is a waste.
The seed of Borassus when put in soil, develops into Borassus Flabellifer Linn. This is rich in starch and contains
proteins. The raw fruit can be preserved for a month.
When Borassus Flabellifer is chewed, the starch comes into contact with Saliva, and is converted into glucose.
Glucose supplies good energy. A comparative study of the effect of Saliva on Potato and Borassus Flabellifer
revealed, when we eat cooked potato we dont chew much, as such the development of Glucose in the intake
material is less compared to Borassus Flabellifer.
Borassus Flabellifer offers a rich source of Glucose (from starch) for people living in rural areas. But there is a
problem. The fibre present in it poses a problem. If by some genetical means the fibre is removed, we can
manufacture chips and slices (on the lines of Potato) which find ready market.
There is a bad notion that Borassus Flabellifer when eaten much is indigestible. This is not true. Infact anything
eaten excess leads to indigestion. I take regularly these Borassus Flabellifer (boiled) with pleasure.

REACTIONS
.. Kindly refer to your letter dated 25.5.1976 addressed to the Director, F.R.I. and Colleges, Dehra
Dun, regarding the observations on Calotropis and Euphorbia Antiquorum.
We appreciate your valuable observations made on the utility of indigenous plants to combat the animal pests. We
are also conducting certain experiments on some indigenous plants as a substitute for organic insecticides.
We are including your informations in our research programme and hope for your active cooperation in future.

Dr.P.K. SEN-SARMA,
Forest Entomologist,
Forest Research Institute,
Dehra Dun
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANISATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
Dear Sir,
With reference to your letter dated 23 May 1978, we have noted your studies and observations on the plant
Calotropis and the possibility of its use for the biological control of insects, and are very interested. However, before
promoting this culture in vacant lands of developing countries and recommending its use, we need more
information.
Hence, we would appreciate it if you would contact Mr.Carlos Arciniega, who is commissioned by us to
collect such information, and is presently at the C.F.T.R.I., Mysore 570 031, Karnataka State, India.
As you know, agricultural improvement in developing countries is most important, and therefore all
contributions towards the solving of problems of hunger and misery, such as how to increase crop production, are
extremely helpful.

Thanking you once again for your information, and hoping that you will contact Mr.Arciniega, I am
Yours sincerely,
Oscar Brauer, Director
Plant Production and Protection Division
Borassus Flabellifer Linn :
When the fruits are very tender, the seeds consist of soft, sweetish gelatinous pulp with a juicy liquid. These tender
seeds without seed coat are highly delicious and are sold out in Calcutta markets like hot cakes in early summer.
In August during Janmastami the fruits ripen and the sweet pulp is liked by many people and are taken either raw
or sweetmeats are prepared out of it. After extraction of the juice, the nuts are stored in moist places and after about
2 months roots come out. At this stage the hard nuts are split open and a cream coloured cotyledon is found to
cover the empty space which is highly delicious like cheese.
If the nuts are allowed to grow, a small stem forms which contains starch. As you have referred in your note, these
stems contain undesirable fibres. These fibres are arteries and veins of the plant and are indispensable. But if you put
a black paper round about the stem or gather earth round about it to cut out light, the fibers become etiolated and
soft. It can be done in the same way as we prepare edible bamboos.
Euphorbia Antiquorum Linn :
The latex of Euphorbia Antiquorum is caustic and produce blister if it falls on tender skins. It is used as counter
irritant and to kill maggots of foul ulcers. There are certain other pharmacological uses of this plant.
We do not find any reference by which we can say, whether it can kill pest birds or rodents. We are collecting the
latex of this and some other related plants and shall see whether the latex can act in the line you have suggested. We
shall inform you our findings after completion of the tests.
Dr. B.GUPTA, Scientist
Division of Botany
Central Drug Research Institute
Lucknow

.. Thank you very much for the scientific note. It is quite interesting to go through and I hope you
have published it somewhere. Our traditional believes and customs have all scientific basis and we have to
rediscover them. The Chiense are doing now and we have to do our own way to solve our problems in all fields of
life.
I shall pass on this information to some of my colleagues of this Institute. I would like to know the details of the
activities of Society of Science for the people. If I can be of some help, please let me know.
Dr.M.J. BALAKRISHAN RAO
Geneticist & Botanist.
Central Rice Research Institute
CUTTACK
.. Kindly refer to your letter dated 23.5.1978 addressed to Dr.M.S. Swaminathan, Director General,
ICAR, regarding the utilization of latex of Euphorbia Antiquorum for killing rats. Thank you very much for your
suggestion.
In Western Rajastan only Euphorbia Caducifolia occurs and therefore, will it be possible for you to kindly send two
or three c.c. latex of Euphorbia Antiquorum so that we may test for its properties as a rodenticide.
Dr.ISHWAR PRAKASH
Coordinator and Principal Animal Ecologist,
Central Arid Zone Research Institute,
JODHPUR
.. I am directed to inform you that a copy of your letter is being forwarded to Head of the Division of
Entomology of this Institute for his comments on the note regarding growing "CALOTROPIS' in vacant lands to
combat the menace of Red Hairy Cater Pillar and to conserve fertility of soil and reply will be send to you in due
course
Regarding note on the latex of EUPHORBIA ANTIQUORUM to control the rats, you may please contact
Dr.Ishwar Prakash, Project Coordinator (Rodenticide Control), Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhput
(Rajastan).
A.K. SHARMA
Sr. Scientist (RPC)
Indian Agricultural Research Institute
New Delhi

Gum from Hibiscus

Hibiscus esculantus grows well in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. It is being used as a vegetable crop only at
present. Gum from its pods has a great export potential. The gum is applied on meat in Western countries to make it
soft.
From the information supplied by CSIR, so far no factory has been established in India to extract the gum. Why
does the Government or a private industry not take up this project in view of its export value ?
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANISATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
Dear Mr. Jagadeesh,
I acknowledge with thanks your letter of 25 August, 1978 on the subject of utilising gum in Jack Fruit
research by FAO scientists. I have noted with great interest the information on the jack Fruit bark and the need for
development of technology for the utilisation of the gum which is in the bark and often thrown away.
I am passing on your letter on this subject to the scientific expert in our Agricultural Industries Service,
Dr.Grace, and you may be hearing further on this subject from him.

I have myself been exposed to agave when I was working in eastern India years back. This plant is used as
a biological fence. However, its latex is also the properties which you have mentioned. I am again sending this
information to Dr.Grace who may be writing to you on the subject.
The same applies to the leaf Murrea Koenegi. The theme you have mentioned Modernise the Traditional
Traditionalise the Modern is very appropriate and in line with the thinking that we are pursuing. I will come back to
this matter when we have some more up-to-date information.
Yours sincerely,
M.L.Dewan, Chief,
Regional Bureau for Asia and Far East

REACTIONS
.. According to the information available from the literature, the mucilage is obtained as under :
The mucilaginous material is prepared by grinding the pod; removing the waxes and fats with ether and alcohol;
suspending the purified material in water; filtering and finally concentrating the filtrate. It may be obtained in
powder form by precipitation or freezing and stored for use when required.
We have no information regarding any work having been carried out on the subject in the country.
D.BHSHAN, Scientist
Technology Utilisation, CSIR,
New Delhi
.. I am happy that you have enclosed the note on the mucilage obtained from Hibiscus esculantus.
This matter is under study currently in our Lab And I shall revert to this latter.
Dr. M. SANTAPPA, Director
CLRI, Madras
.. Kindly refer to your letter dated 13 th May, 1978 addressed to the Honble Minister of Industry on
the above cited subject.
In this regard I am to request you to kindly send the detailed information on the process for the extraction of gum
from ladys fingers and its techno-economic feasibility study if it has been done at your end so that we may be able
to explore further details on the project for commercial exploitation as mentioned by you.
S.P. SONDI,
Director (Food)
Office of the Development Commissioner
(Small Scale Industries)
Ministry of Industry, NEW DELHI

Polythene Cap on Soft Drink Bottles :

At present a metal cap is being put on soft drink bottles. Because of constant keeping of the bottle in water, the top
of the bottle gets rust. In cities the shop owners provide straw. But in rural areas people take the drink directly. The
rust thus goes into the body. Though the shop people clean the bottles, the rust will be there. I suggest polythene cap
can be put on the soft drink bottles. This will be welcome in view of hygienic importance. As we have polythene
caps on medicinal bottles like Reclor etc., so also we can have on soft drink bottles.

REACTION
.. The polyethelene undoubtedly eliminate the problem of rust. However, any recommendation on the
use of polyethylene caps have to be viewed in the light of certain other problems that may arise. The foremost of
these are the loss of flavour and gases such as CO 2, because of the high permeabilities of polyethylene.

In our view, these aspects need an investigation before polyethylene caps are to be recommended.
B.ANANDA SWAMY
Project Coordinator
Packaging Technology
CFTRI, Mysore

Natural Cool Drinks from Coconut Water & Water Melon

At an international symposium many experts expressed their anxiety about the evil effects of synthetic soft drinks,
(ARE SOFT DRINKS ALL THAT SAFE, THE SUNDAY STANDARD 28-04-1974). The answer for this is
natural cool drinks from water melon and coconuts. These drinks will be very popular in our country and also can be
exported to other countries to get the much wanted foreign exchange.
In our country coconut is an important crop covering slightly over 1 million hectares. The total production is
estimated to be 6,200 million nuts which amount to more than Rs.300 crores. The most important coconut producing
area in India is Kerala, which accounts for 70% of the area of cultivation and 60% of total production. Kerala
produces about 4,000 million nuts as against 800 million in Karnataka, 900 million in Tamilnadu, 200 million in
Andhra Pradesh, and 200 to 300 million in other states. Coconut milk is valued both for the refreshing and sweet
drink it offers and for the soft, gelatinous Kernel. It is an ideal, soothing food for convalescents of Typhoid,
Chicken-pox etc. Coconut milk has diuritic property.

As Indonesia, The Philippines, Sri Lanka, Malyasia, New Guinea, Thailand, The Fizi Islands, The West Indies and
some area of East Africa are the only countries which produce major coconuts, most of the Western nations may like
to have these natural drinks. Coconut water is aseptic and pyrogen free, therefore, used at times to restore salt and
fluid equilibrium in patients suffering from dehydration and prostration due to diseases like gastro-enteritis or
diarrhoea. Normally, in such cases a solution of glucose and salt (50% glucose and salts) in distilled water is
supplied to the ailing body. Being rich in potassium, coconut water has proved to be an ideal substitute for glucosesaline, for depletion of potassium is seldom observed in such patients. Moreover magnesium-another constituent of
natural coconut water-antagonises neuro-muscular toxicity, which may otherwise develop on account of high
potassium intake. Other constituents of coconut water in addition to potassium and magnesium are calcium, sodium,
phosphate, sulphate, insulin, glucose, fructose, proteins etc.
A study to find if synthetic coconut water could be advantageous over conventional glucose saline infusions was
undertaken. Synthetic coconut water prepared for investigational purposes consisted of 5% glucose, 17% sodium
chloride and 55% potassium chloride in one litre of distilled water. The findings revealed (The Indian Journal of
Medical Research, November 1965) that smaller quantities (451.2 ml. in 16 infusions) of natural coconut water were
required intravenously to correct dehydration and prostration as compared to 1910.7 ml. in 15 infusions of
conventional glucose saline to get the same results. The quantity of synthetic coconut water required to bring about
the same degree of restoration was found to be 612.5 ml. in 14 infusions. As against the cost of Rs.10/- for each
infusion of glucose-saline, the cost of infusion of synthetic coconut water workout at Rs.2.50 p., and for natural
coconut water Rs.1/- only.
Prof. T.A. Davis, Crop Science Division, Indian Statistical Institute, Calcutta developed hybrid coconuts which can
be grown on terraces. This is being tried in several places. Prof. Philip E.Nelson, Purdue University, U.S.A. says that
the coconut water can be preserved. If somebody is interested in the project I am prepared to share my knowledge in
this sphere.

REACTIONS
.. Thank you for your kind letter and the valuable suggestions contained therein.
I am asking the Director, Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore, to let me know whether these
suggestions would prove practicable or any work has already been done in this regard.
This is very kind of you to have thought of me in regard to these ideas.

Prof. Y.NAYUDAMMA
Director General
CSIR, New Delhi
.. I thank you for your kind letters dated the 3 rd and 4th May, 1974. I am forwarding your suggestions
concerning the manufacture of natural cool drinks from watermelon and other sources to the Director, Central Food
Technological Research Institute, Mysore with a request that he may kindly let you know the position in this area of
research.
Dr.M.S. SWAMINATHAN
Director General
ICAR, New Delhi
.. This has reference to your letter dt. 3.5.1974 addressed to Dr.Y.Nayudamma, Director General,
CSIR on the subject referred to above. Dr.Nayudamma has sent your letter to me to offer you our comments and
advise on the points raised by you in the letter.
I note that you are interested in developing some ready-to-serve beverages from wtaermelon, borassus seeds, palm
and coconut to cater the needs of Indian consumer on the one hand and to promote export which, according to you,
has tremendous potentials. I would like to draw your attention to the following comments which may be relevant in
this context :
1.

Work has been carried out in this Institute earlier to evaluate different varieties of musk melon grown in Andhra
Pradesh for the manufacture of products such as pulp, nectars, juice, beverages, etc. The know-how for the
manufacture of these products is available with CFTRI. However, we have not worked with watermelon as such
for the preparation of these products, but the technology would be the same. We will be happy to help you in
setting up a unit for the manufacture of juice and ready-to-drink beverages from musk or watermelon. I would
also like to point that watermelon has a very delicate flavour and when subjected to heat processing which is a
necessary step for preservation, the taste and flavour of the finished product becomes very faint. The taste and
flavour further reduces if the product is stored for long periods. However, we can make samples of the product
for assessment before you decide to launch the venture.

2.

Work has already been carried out at this Institute to preserve tender coconut water. But it has been found that
the delicate flavour of the fresh water is lost during processing. The processed and preserved product does not
have any semblance of the flavour of the fresh coconut water and, therefore, in my opinion this proposition may
not be workable. Efforts were also made to use coconut water and coconut neera to manufacture vinegar and it
was found that to make a good quality vinegar, the coconut neera or water does not contain enough sugar to be
used as a raw material for this purpose. However, with the addition of sugar, one can ferment coconut water or
neera to make quality vinegar but the price structure of this product becomes to high that it cannot compete with
the vinegar made from other raw material such as molasses or by-products of fruit and vegetable processing
industry.

3.

Water from borassus seeds and palm trees is being used for the manufacture of toddy. We are, at present,
working on a project sponsored by the Government of Karnataka to preserve toddy in bottles. The work is in
progress but the results so far achieved do not indicate that one can get a quality toddy preserved in bottles at an
economic price.

4.

I note your suggestion regarding use of irradiation technique for the preservation of water from palm tree,
coconut and borassus seeds. To the best of my knowledge, nobody has done any work to see the effect of
irradiation on the preservation of taste and flavour of these products. This problem falls in the purview of
the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in Trombay as they have facilities to do irradiation and the subsequent
observations.

You have raised many good points in your letter and I feel these things can be thrashed out in a discussion with you.
Please make it convenient to visit CFTRI on a date mutually suitable so that we can discuss the points that you have
in your mind. Please let me know when it would be possible for you to visit Mysore.
Dr. B.L.AMLA, Scientist- in-charge
CFTRI, MYSORE

.. You raised some interesting thoughts concerning the use of naturally abundant products for drinks.
I am certain that the juice of these products could be bulk stored. The main question is what product will the
consumer drink. We may preserve the product but if no one will drink it, then it is of little value. I would suggest
that some one in India develop a product that would be desired by the consumer; then a preservation process will
follow. Since my taste and yours will differ, it is important that the product formula be developed in India. For
products of export then the country buying the material should develop their own formula.
In summary, I am suggesting that a product be developed first then a process for preservation can follow.
Philip E.Nelson, Prof. of Food Science
Purdue University
Agricultural Experiment Station
Department of Horticulture
West Lafayette Indiana U.S.A.
.. We are in receipt of your letter No. AJ/GC/1238/75-76 dated 6th instant regarding manufacture of
natural cooldrinks. In principle, we would be interested in the proposal but in the absence of the scheme in detail, it
is difficult to make any definite commitment.
For Brandon & Company Pvt. Ltd.
Director
Caterers & Manufacturers of Quality Aerated Waters
BOMBAY
.. We are in receipt of your letter AJ/GC/1236/75-76 dated 6th September 1976. We have been
bottling various aerated and non aerated waters since 1889 and would like to know further details about the drinks
based on Coconut, Borassus and Watermelon along with samples if any along with basic cost structure of these
beverages.
MESSRS DUKE & SONS PVT. LTD.
F.P. PANDOLE
Managing Director, BOMBAY
.. We thank you for your letter dated the 27 th May, 1976, and for the various suggestions you have
given us regarding natural Fruit Juices, Coffee and Tea tablets, Buttermilk powder, milk powder, etc. We have noted
with gret interest your suggestions and will certainly get in touch with you should we in the near future decide to go
in for such projects.
for SPENCER & COMPANY LTD.
Manager
Factories Division, Madras

Coffee & Tea Packets :

It is a common experience that we dont get quality coffee or tea during train journeys. I have a novel idea and
process. Coffee & Tea packets can be manufactured with three compartments. In each compartment coffee/tea,
sugar, milk powder can be separately put which should be airtight. The consumer can pierce the packet and when the
contents are put in hot water gives instant coffee or tea. Also the three can be made into a paste and fed into a tube.
Yet another process is to manufacture coffee or tea tablets. But in the latter case the product wont be stable as is
evident from the tablets manufactured by BROOK BAND INDIA LTD., (by name Dilkush). These packets can be
competitively price at 50 paise each.

Butter Milk Powder :

During summer we all take buttermilk. I suggest buttermilk powder can be manufactured and packed in small
packets. The contents when put in cold water gives instant buttermilk. We have acid buttermilk powder now being
marketed as eledon by NESTLES INDIA LTD. This is very costly and used by parents to cure diarrhoea in babies.

Jaggery Cool Drink

Jaggery contains nutrients. Jaggery powder along with Eugenia Caryophyllata, Piper Longam, Cinnamomum
zeylanicum, Yalukulu (Ilachi) can be put in tins. The jaggery must be purified. The contents when put in cold water

gives delcious and nutritious cool drink. It is a common experience that in southern India during April (Srirama
Navami Festivals) the Bhaktas are served with PANAKAM which is nothing but a composition of the constituents
mentioned above. The contents can be put in one kg., half kg. Tins. One or two tea spoons of the contents put in cold
water gives instant cool drink.

REACTIONS
.. In connection with the proposal to manufacture of Tea tablets. Your suggestions are being
analysed and you will be informed of the outcome at a later date.
R.BANERJEE
Asst.Director Of Tea Promotion
Tea Board, CALCUTTA
.. We thank you for your valued suggestions. At the moment it is not possible for us to go for such
products. However, we have noted your suggestions and we shall definitely go for it when it is possible.
C.V. PATEL, Manager (Production)
Kaira District Co-operative Milk Producers Union Limited,
ANAND
.. It is a good idea to pack butter milk powder in the small packets. Butter milk powder is being
manufactured by many dairy processors in India.
With regard to the small packets of milk powder the suggestion is quite valuable. However, dairy industries always
look for economic consideration, the labour involved and the machines they have for packing.
G.S. RAJORHIA, Scientist (D.T)
Division of Dairy Technology,
NDRI, KARNAL (Haryana)

Natural Cool-Drink from Sarasaparella, Lemon & Honey :

SARASAPARELLA and LEMON are known as best blood purifiers besides Nutritional value. When honey is
added it presents a complete Natural, Nutritional Drink. The formula I prepared is :
Sarasaparella
Lemon Juice (from Natural lemon)
Honey
Sugar

15 ml
20 ml
20 ml.
20 gm.

These four mixed and made soluble in 200 ml. Water. The constituents of the drink are readily available in plenty
and the drink will be cheap and popular

REACTIONS
.. I learn with great interest that you have developed a natural cool-drink form Sarasaparella, Honey
and Lemon. Lemon and Honey as an individual commodity is already very well known and putting them together
perhaps will give a collective effect of the three. Before I say anything with regard to the drink, it will be helpful to
know its keeping quality as well as its consumer acceptability. If you can send a sample of the product, we will be
very happy to taste, tests and give our reaction.
Dr. B.L.AMLA, Director
CFTRI, MYSORE
.. The home remedies of using honey (pene), lemon, etc. are well-known. What is not known is its
accuracy and clinical tsts done over a number of people, over a long period. With a good marketing and advertising
system, however, we may be able to sell this as ready-made tonics.
Prof. Y.NAYUDAMMA
Distinguished Scientist, CLRI, Madras

.. This office is in receipt of your letter dated 16 th May, 1978 addressed to Dr.M.S. Swaminathan,
D.G., ICAR regarding the above drink. We shall appreciate if you kindly supply a bottle of this drink together with
the mode of its preparation and other details. This division will conduct some experiments on its keeping quality and
inform you of its storage behaviour.
Head of the Division of
Horticulture and Fruit Technology,
LARI, New Delhi
.. We have noted that you have prepared a beverage based on Sughandha roots, lemon & honey and
you wish to preserve it for longer durations.
Generally, fruit beverages are preserved by pasteurization. Ready to serve beverages are generally preserved by
pasteurization (i.e. to keep the sealed bottles in boiling wter (85-90o C) for 20 minutes and cooled)
L.V.L. SASTRY, Scientist
Industrial Development &
Consultancy Services
CFTRI, Mysore

Exporting Pan-Beedas, Canning Anab-E-Shahi Grapes

In our country pan-beedas are very popular. Many people chew the beedas after meals. I am sure if these beedas are
sterilised and packed in a sophisticated way, they can be exported.
Also in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh Anab-e-Shahi is being grown in large areas. If these grapes are perserved and
canned, they will be very popular in Western Countries.

REACTION
.. Kindly refer to your letter dated August 26, 1974 written to Prof.Y.Nayudamma, Director-General,
CSIR. The letter in original has been sent to us for taking necessary action.
We are glad to note that you are thinking of a formulation that will give effect of pan-beedas. In this connection we
are to state that we have developed a product called Pan Supari Nectar which gives similar effect of pan-and-supari
when it is consumed as it is or along with pan beedas. If you are interested then we will send you a small sample of
this product.
Regarding your enquiry to export Anab-e-Shahi grapes we request you to let us know whether you want to export
this fruit in fresh form or in preserved form. In both the cases we can give you all technical assistance. In case you
are thinking of exporting Anab-e-Shahi in processed form then the types of processed products that you have in
mind may please be communicated.
On hearing from you further, we will take necessary action.
Thanking you and assuring you of our cooperation.
S.C.BHATTACHARYA, Scientist
Industrial Research Consultancy & Extn.
CFTRI, Mysore

Utilising Bile Juice in Animal Gall Bleaders

In most developing countries lakhs of animals like goat, hen, pig, cattle, fish are being cut everyday for human
consumption. Some inside parts are thrown away as waste.
For example : Gall Bladder.
There is a process to utilise bile juice in gall bladders. The bile juice and the bile stones which are present in the gall
bladder are of commercial value. There is a process to convert bile liquid into bile paste and also Cholic acid and
Desoxicholic acid from bile. The bile paste could be made by concentrating the bile liquid in steam jacketed vessels
into a paste, with approximately 70 to 75% solid content. At the village level, this could also be made by just heating
the bile over a waterbath. The paste in this form will preserve well without the addition of any preservatives. This
could be utilised as a starting material for making cholic acid and desoxicholic acid.

At the village level, one need not attempt making these fine chemicals. The paste could as well be exported or
handed over to parties, who will be in a position to make cholic acid, desoxicholic acid and cheno-desoxicholic acid.
Cholic acid and desoxicholic acid are made by hydrolysing the bile in an alkaline medium and neutralising
subsequently with acid and purifying and fractionating the compounds using Methanol. The bile paste of 75% solid
contents contain approximately 50% cholic acid on moisture free basis. The market price of cholic acid at present is
Rs.350/- per Kg. And that of desoxicholic acid is Rs.700/- per Kg.
There wont be any difficulty in collecting these gall bladders as we can get sizeable quantity at slaughter houses big
hotels etc. by paying nominal amount. This will provide livelihood to many people in villages and towns.

REACTION
.. I acknowledge with thanks your letter addressed to the Director-General, who has requested me to
deal with it.
We agree with you that bile juice and bile stones could be an interesting source of cholic and desoxicholic acids and
that their utilization would deserve more attention. The same would apply to many other slaughterhouse by-products
which are present just wasted. Your letter will be passed on to our specialist in Abattoirs and Meat Technology who
is now on leave.
HARRY C.MUSSMAN, Director,
Animal Production and Health Divn.,
FAO, ROME

Device to Enable Driving Motor Cycle When Punctured

The motor cycle riders often face difficulty in bringing the vehicle to the nearest mechanic when the tyres are
punctured. The scooters will have spare wheel where as motor cycles dont have the same. Hence there is the need
to have a device to overcome the difficulty whenever the back wheel is punctured. It is very difficult to remove the
back wheel and for a motor mechanic it takes more than half an hour.
We can have rectangular conduit pipe of dimensions 30 x 12 cms. In the middle a V shaped MS plate is fixed.
From the plate two small hard rubber wheels of diameter 6 cms. (those used for welding machines, stretchers in
hospitals) are suspended with a separation of 5 cms. The wheels are so arranged, they have to touch the bottom
when the wheel has air. Whenever the tyres (back or front) are punctured, the wheel can be put on the device and the
vehicle can be run slowly. This way we can take the vehicle to the nearest mechanic without any difficulty. The
device can be put in the box meant for luggage. This device cost around Rs.150/- but highly useful.

REACTION
.. We appreciate the interest shown by you and I hope this is a valuable suggestion in solving the
service problems faced normally by any motor cycle user.
On going through the details, I am not clear the exact working principle of the device. I am sure that the above
suggestion of yours has been given shape and put into use for trial purposes. Hence, I request you to kindly send
more details drawings or dimensions/samples. We will be able to offer our comments only after studying the same.
For The Enfield India Limited,
S.D. DESIKAN, Senior Engineer
Development, Madras

Devising A Metre to Count Local Calls of Telephone

Often many telephone subscribers complain that they got excess billing of Local Calls. I myself wrote about this to
the Telecommunication authorities thrice in 1970.
I suggest a metre which records only Local Calls can be devised which has to be attached to each telephone. This
way the subscriber can know the exact calls he made. Just as the charges are collected on the basis of metre reading
in the case of Electricity, the same can be done with regard to Telephone Local calls also.
As this is of paramount importance covering lakhs of Telephone subscribers, an organisation like CSIR can
undertake the job of devising a low cost metre to record local calls.

REACTION
.. Every P & T exchange is equipped with such a meter for each subscriber to register the number of
calls. This is an electromechanical counter operated / activated once a call is through. The billing is done as per the
meter reading at the exchange. Although there have been instances that the meters gave erroneous results, by and
large they are dependable. A regular maintenance is what is required in these meters.
It is possible to develop a meter or a counter to indicate at the Subscriber and the number of calls made. But whether
such a device is permitted to be coupled on public telephones or not depends on P & T regulations. Unless a national
policy is drawn up to permit the subscribers to have their own metering, such a device would be of very little value.
The principle of counting the calls can be based on detecting the reversing line polarity which occurs when the
called party picks up the telephone. Electromechanical counters are used to register call number advance. It might
take about 6 to 8 months development time with a team of about 2 to 3 scientific personal and other usual technical
staff and priority facilities. Such projects can be taken up only if they are founded by the agency interested.
Dr.G.N.ACHARYA, Scientist
Central Electronics Engineering
Research Institute, PILANI

Using Tobacco to Render Visibility During Rains on Cars

Recently I have come across an incident. A lorry driver was seen applying wet tobacco (from cigar) on the glass to
render visibility of the glass before the driver. This made the rain drops slide down. Of course we are having
mechanically operated wipers doing the same job but they cost much. Obviously, some chemical in tobacco must be
responsible for this action. If we can investigate the matter and manufacture a cheap liquid from tobacco, it will be
highly useful to the four wheeler drivers.

REACTIONS
.. You are certainly prolific in generating ideas. I shall get this idea tested and write to you again.
Prof. Y.NAYUDAMMA
Distinguished Scientist
CLRI, Madras
.. I am forwarding your letter to Dr.N.C.Gopalachari, Director, Central Tobacco Research Institute,
Rajamundry. You may like to discuss the matter further with him.
Dr.M.S.SWAMINATHAN
Director General, ICAR

Liquid Adhesive from Chloroform

At present adhesives like quick fix, araldite are available in the market which are very costly. I found Chloroform
has the property of dissolving some types of plastics used in radio sets. Hence this can be used as adhesive. This
costs very little but highly useful.

REACTION
.. I shall try out the material you sent me. In fact you have written to me even earlier. The fact that the
Chloroform dissolves the plastic materials is there before though I am not sure about its use as an adhesive. You
may like to patent this, if in case this work has not been done by others earlier.
Prof. Y.NAYUDAMMA

Using Periscope to Avoid Accidents

When a vehicle is following another on the road, there is no provision to know whether any vehicle is coming in the
opposite direction. When the forward vehicle driver drives extreme left, the behind vehicle driver thinks that the way

is clear. But sometimes it may be due to a vehicle coming in the opposite direction. Thus there is the possibility of
accidents. Cant science avert this? There is convex mirror to know behind objects. I tried a PERISCOPE to know
forward coming unsighted objects. The Periscope is mounted on the right side of each vehicle with small inclination
to have more field of view. The driver can have an idea about the unsighted objects while overtaking to avoid
accidents. The metal Periscope costs just Rs.200/- but highly useful. In developing countries where the roads are
narrow, this device will go a long way to avoid accidents while overtaking.

Fireproof Aapron to Avoid Fire Accidents in Kitchen

We come across many instances of fire accidents in kitchen while cooking. The synthetic fabrics used by
housewives are the cause of the quickness in catching fire. I prepared a AAPRON like cloth which can be worn by
housewives while cooking. This cloth is completely fire proof. This will cost just Rs.75, washable and quite useful.

Candle Holders
Whenever power goes off many people use candles. But the candles are put directly on the surface and due to wind
the flame will be flickering. I prepared a candle holder. I mounted two thick plastic plates on four used film roll
spools. These spools are thrown away as waste by photographers. Over the plates a metal holder is fixed with glass.
This way we can have safe lighting through candles free from flickering. This costs just Rs.30/- but finds use in
daily life.

Cap to Beat Heat

I prepared a cap which gives good cooling and delicious smell. VATTIVERU (Khus) the root of a widely available
plant in South India is covered over rexin cap with holes. One can pour or sprinkle water on the cap to get cooling
and sweet smell. This cap will be highly useful to pedestrians, cyclists etc. in summer and costs just Rs.50/-. The
foreign tourists may like this cap very much.

REACTIONS
.. I am responding to your letter of December 7 in which you describe several inventions and ask for
my opinion about them. You described several of these in an earler communication, therefore I will comment here
on only those that are new to me. Having visited India some years ago, I can understand why you might feel that you
need a periscope to negotiate the crowded roads safely. Such a device might serve well under conditions where the
traffic is congested and moves slowly. It would not adopt well to road conditions in the United States where traffic
moves quite rapidly and congestion while it is not unknown here is not as severe as in India.
The use of fire-proof fabrics to avoid fires while cooking seems to me an eminently sensible, concept. There is
increasing concern about the inflammability of fabrics in this country, and gradually we are moving toward a greater
use of non-inflammable materials. Candle holders are also very practical, but of course are not really new. Candles
have simply fallen into disuse as a result of increasing electrification. How important the re-introduction of candles
and candle holders would be to an economy clearly depends upon how often electrical power failures occur. In the
United States, they are still fortunately infrequent, though they do occasionally occur with devastating
consequences. I cannot speak for how useful candles are to Indians.
The Poormans Watercooler seems especially attractive simple yet effective. I know too little about Annona
Squamosa to comment on its value in the production of oil. I am favourably impressed with using plant matter in the
production of combustible gases. I would think this could be a very valuable energy saver for India as well as for
other countries.
Best wishes in your efforts to promote simple technologies for the improvement of life in developing countries.
Prof. A.A.STRASSEMBURG,
Executive Officer,
American Association of Physics Teachers
NEW YORK, U.S.A
.. The cap to beat heat is indeed unique. But you realise it loses its cooling effect because you choose
to use Rexin as a base. The base must be permeable to air and water vapour. Rexin is not porous. A cloth or Palmyra
leaf base with a covering of vattiveru will do better.
I hope you succeed in your endeavours.

Prof. Y.NAYUDAMMA
Director General, CSIR, New Delhi
.. I am glad to see the cap which you have developed to beat heat. I wish you continued success in
such innovative work. I am also happy to see your newsletter.
Dr.M.S.SWAMINATHAN,
Director General
ICAR, New Delhi
.. Shri R.N. Bhargava of CSIR (Planning Division) has informed us about your interest in the
development of flame resistant fabrics for specific end uses. As you have already been informed by the CSIR, we
are actively engaged in this area of research and trying to develop some indigenous know-how in this type of finish.
The effectiveness of a flame retardant finish however, will greately depend on the type of the fabric and the end use
requirements of the cloth. I will highly welcome your suggestions in this regard. Kindly let us know about the
specific end uses of fabrics which you would like to suggest.
V.N. SHARMA
Senior Scientific Officer
The Bombay Textile Research
Association, BOMBAY
.. Please refer to your letter dated 18th October 1977. The subject matter of your letter is very
interesting and I have every hope that we will utilise your expertise at the appropriate time.
B.R.R. IYENGAR,
Joint Secretary,
Appropriate Technology Unit,
Ministry of Industry,
New Delhi

Soap-Less Brush-Less Smooth Safe Shaving

The day begins with the activity of shaving. One has to spend not less than 20 minutes, inserting the blade in the
safety rajor, applying soap with the aid of the brush on the beard, shaving and cleaning the brush, rajor etc.
In the morning face will be greasy with oil. So when we apply soap and use a rajor, there is the possibility of the
chemical coated on the blade (stainless steel) coming into contact with soap lather and the oil on the face. Thus the
life of the steel blade is lowered considerably.
Cant this process be simplified ? I have a novel method.
To overcome the difficulty mentioned above, I used to wash my face with ordinary soap before shaving, thus
removing the oily substance on the face. Without removing the water on the face with a towel, I shave the beard
without applying soap lather. The shave will be smooth and safe.
The advantages are :
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

One need not purchase soap, brush, which are recurring expenditure.
No botheration of cleaning the brush and rajor after use.
Consumes half of the normal time when one shaves applying soap lather.
Blade life is extended.
Highly economic, less time consuming and more useful to office going people (Especially Army Personnel)
who need to shave everyday.

6.

Saves considerable number of blades, which contribute to National Economy.

In this not a clear case of APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY, which is useful to millions of people everyday ?

REACTION
.. I perfectly agree with your suggestions of soapless, brush-less, smooth and safe shaving method. As
a matter of fact I myself practice this method. Ordinary washing soap in my opinion is better than lather producing
one. I guess lather is there only to give a visual impact otherwise atleast the same purpose is served equally well
with the ordinary washing soap. Even cost to cost, the best quality of bathing soap like Pears or scented ones is
cheaper than the shaving creams.
Dr.MOHAN KATYAL
St. Stephens College
New Delhi

Rapport Between Allopthy, Ayurveda & Homeopathy

While inaugurating the 63rd session of Indian Science Congress Association at Waltair our Prime Minister said
Dr.Swaminathan has spoken of taking advantage of the steroid properties of widely known plants for family
planning. There is a well-known story about Charaka, the ancient physician. When asked by his teacher to bring
plants which were quite useless, he returned empty handed remarking that there was no such plant. Old familiar
household remedies are being lost. A few may have owed their efficacy to faith rather than science; but science is
gradually discovering that not all folk remedies are unscientific. We must encourage rural women and children to
identify and preserve valuable plants. We should also popularise wider cultivation and the use of plants which
supply nutritional deficiencies. The first step in rural uplift is to inculcate in villages a greater pride in their
environments, in local flora and wildlife, in their own arts and crafts. Modernity does not imply alienation. Hence
universities and laboratories must come closer to villages.
There is abundant rural wealth still to be exploited. We have several effective traditional methods to cure rheumatic
diseases, Jaundic etc. Despite the vast advancement in allopathic medicine still many people in rural areas depend on
local plants and herbs to cure diseases effectively. There is the need to bring to limelight the methods of curing, the
plants and herbs used. I already wrote to ICMR, CSIR & ICAR to constitute a study group comprising experts
from these organisations and Homeopathic, Ayurvedic and Unani Experts. The study group must tour rural areas
(where there are no hospitals) and collect samples of medicine used. These can be studied and synthesised. This is a

gigantic task. Government efforts alone are not enough. We have vast reservoir of youth which should be used in
this national task. I suggest the university/college Biology students and staff can tour rural areas conducting Biology
camps and collect medicinal plants used by rural folk and also record methods of curing. These can be pooled and
studied primarily by staff (biology). After scrutiny these can be sent to an institute like Central Drug Research
Institute, Lucknow for analysis and synthesis.

I have already collected over 20 herbs and plant material widely used in our local area and sent to Central Drug
Research Institute, Lucknow for study and analysis.

REACTIONS
st

.. I have your letter dated 21 February 1976. I have forwarded your suggestions to suitable quarters
of the ICAR and CSIR. If their reaction is favourable we will move further.
Dr.C.GOPALAN, Director General
ICMR, New Delhi
.. I have just received your letter of 26 th August, 1976. We would be very happy to undertake the
investigation of any indigenous medicine preparation that you may have for rheumatic diseases or in any other field
for which we can have suitable experimental model. In fact one of the major interests of this Institute is to
investigate medicinal plants and traditional remedies for their biological activity with a view to introduce them in
therapeutic practice.
We would be very happy if you could send us any medicinal plant or preparation which you may like us to test. If
you ever come to the North, it would be a pleasure if you could visit us in Lucknow so that we can pursue this idea
further and see how we can form a small joint collaborative programme. I will check up with Prof. Nayudamma and
see how a study group can be constituted in this connection. We are planning to call a meeting early next year with
the experts in the field of Ayurveda and other traditional systems of medicine to see how we can work toegether to
investigate different products of the traditional system of medicine.
Dr.NITYANAND, Director
Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow
.. We will try to undertake study on the plants suggested by you and shall let you know about the
progress in due course
Dr.T.N. KHOSHOO, Director
National Botanic Gardens, Lucknow
.. Thank you for your kind letter and very valuable suggestions contained therein.
I am asking the Director, C.D.R.I. to study the various proposals made by you, some of which are already known
and studied and some may not be.
Prof.Y.NAYUDAMMA,
Director General
CSIR, New Delhi
.. As you are aware, the Mobile Medical Service Scheme has been in operation in some parts of the
country. The late Dr.P.K.Duraiswami had initiated many steps in this direction and there are also publications on
this subject. I greatly value the initiative which you are taking. I hope your efforts will bear fruits.
Dr.C.GOPALAN, Director General
ICMR, New Delhi
.. We look forward to receiving the different materials that you may have for testing their biological
activity. I would suggest the following method for this investigation.
1.

Wherever you have a definite evidence of the biological activity of the product as used in the traditional
system of medicine, I suggest that you send the product as such and we will do its biological testing. In
case the product proves effective, we will then get the individual, ingredients and test then.

2.

In the case of plants that are known for their biological activity, you can send us these plants as such if it is
a tree, you can send us either the leaves or the part that is normally used, which in the case of smaller
plants, you can send us the whole plant.

Regarding the coconut water, we have to study the problems. I agree that if it could be possible to preserve it, it will
very greatly increase the usefulness of coconut water.
Dr.NITYANAND, Director
Central Drug Research Institute
Lucknow

Education, Science & Training Programmes

In our educational system (both at School and College level) emphasis must be laid on schemes which envisage
exposure of students to the problems of society. Just as we have NCC, NSS, we can also have a National Science
Service Programme (NSSP), which envisages the utilisation of the services of Science teachers and students for
constructive activities in villages. Under this programme, the students from degree classes led by a lecturer choose
and ADOPT a village near them. They will visit the village and acquaint themselves with the problems of the
villagers. They will plan how best they can utilise the knowledge acquired in the class room, for bettering the lot of
the villagers. They will prepare a mini-plan extending over 3 years. For example, they can undertake soil analysis,
water analysis, pest control of crops etc. In the regular curriculum practical training on subjects like soil analysis,
water analysis, blood testing etc., can be given.
The scheme has been circulated to Union Government, all State Governments, all Universities, International
agencies like UNESCO, American Association of Physics Teachers, National Science Foundation, American
Association For The Advancement of Science etc. The response was quite encouraging. Several Universities
implemented the scheme. The NSS units all over the country have been directed to incorporate the above scheme in
the on going National Service Scheme.

REACTIONS
.. I have your letter of January 8 enclosing your not eon National Science Service and Research
Centres.
I agree with your approach and am trying to implement this in NSS Scheme in this University. We are arranging for
students to use their speciality in tackling rural problems. Some of the suggestions you have made go even further in
direction, and I intend to follow them.
Dr. MALCOLM S.ADISESHAIAH,
Vice-Chancellor,
University of Madras, Madras
.. This initiative is from conservation points of views very welcomed and has certainly the potential
to develop into an important scheme having environmetnal impact on village society and life.
Internationally your plan is a pilot scheme which is of great educational and scientific interest to UNESCO. I would
be grateful if you would keep me informed about the evolution of your project, which might stimulate similar action
in other countries.
In Kenya there is since about 3 4 years a very successful youth movement Wild life Clubs of Kenya that is
based on schools in all parts of the country. Further information on this scheme might be of value to you. Therefore,
I suggest that you write to Miss Sandra Price, Kenya Wild Life Clubs, National Museum, Nairobi, requesting such
informations
I wish you all success in this project.
KAY CURRY-LINDAHL
Director, Zoological Department
UNESCO Expert in Ecology and Conservation for Africa,
Stockholm, Sweden

.. Your proposals look to me to be interesting ones and should serve as an important basis for
discussion and further action on education in India.
Please accept my wishes for success.
Dr.Norman P.Neureiter
Executive Office of the President
Office of Science & Technology
Washington, U.S.A.
.. Thank you for your letter of 20th May and your interesting paper on National Science and Research
Centres. I shall hope to give this further thought and study to see if there is any way we can use such ideas in our
work in this country.
I enclose 2 copies of the ROSLA Schools/Youth Service Project as requested.
MISS BENNETT, Youth Officer
Sheffield District Council
Sheffield, U.K.
.. It was kind of you to share your further thoughts on the establishment of National Science Service
and Research Centres. I am pleased to learn that you have already elicited interest and support from so many
different institutions. In response to your request for suggestions I would like to mention a few points.
In the local bazar and in the village a person who has had training in science can find many instances in which
scientific principles are exemplified. The principles of mechanics come into play whenever loads are moved, wood
is split, water is drawn from the well. Chemistry comes into play when the fire is lit and the food is cooked. The
microbiology of the tank and the microbiology of the fields is there. Materials science is involved in the operations
of the black smith. Physical chemistry in the dyeing of cloth; microbilogy in the preparation of dahl; the list of ready
examples is almost indefinitely long.
Perhaps one component of your programme could be to elicit some of the relevant principles through observation of
community life through the eyes of the science teacher. Perhaps projects making use of the most readily available
materials could be designed with the help of teachers from the colleges and universities and conducted by persons in
the adopted village. Descriptions of individual projects could be collected and published as a handbook for use by
others.
I believe that for such a project to be successful it would be necessary for a nucleus of well-trained science teachers
to become interested in undertaking the work, because the expertise of the scientist is really needed in order to
transform the ordinary event into an occasion for learning more about science. I am confident that if a group of
science teachers took up this strategy of teaching science in the village that there would be a useful awakening to the
role of the scientific approach to the solution of ordinary problems.
Again, may I wish you well in your project.
Gordon L. Hiebert, Head
NSF/New Delhi Science Liaision Staff
.. Your letter and article. What you have suggested is absolutely necessary and it is feasible at every
college and village. As you know there are other programmes like this sponsored by CSIR and other agencies
where villages have been adopted and big scientists get involved in a big way, and we end up with one model
village at enormous cost. Your idea of one college-one village has the merit that it is student-oriented, no fan fare
and so on. I am strongly recommending it to our Youth Welfare Department who run youth camps with the
(misguided) feeling that if the students lay road to villages, they get integrated. In my opinion, the villager feels that
his daily wages have been removed. Anyway I will try my best to have this programme put to trial in this area.
Dr.J.Jayaraman
Department of Biological Sciences
Madurai University, Madurai

.. I must appreciate your thinking on the subject of involving science students of the colleges in some
useful and productive projects. In fact the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation as also ICAR are very much
thinking on this line and we shall be using your suggestion and line of thinking in the future schemes. For your
information the ICAR has already requested all the agricultural universities and colleges to involve students and
staff in agricultural development projects in the villages. Some have already done some work on this line and others
are planning to do it on continuous basis.
Dr.C.Prasad
Asst. Director General (Edn.)
ICAR, New Delhi
.. I shall bring this to the notice of the committee on College Science Improvement Programme and
explore the possibilities of implementing some of the suggestions in a few colleges.
It was very kind of you to have written to me.
Dr.D.Shankar Narayan
Additional Secretary, UGC
New Delhi
.. We had requested Principal Saha of RCE, Mysore to let us know the position and he has intimated
that the project does not involve any financial help from NCERT at all and if you require all the help and guidance
you can contact Mr.K.V.Rao, Field Adviser at Hyderabad or Dr.Sharma, Head of the Department of Science, RCE,
Mysore and they would be glad to extend all sort of co-operation.
If you require any further information, you are free to approach us.
Prof.R.P.Singh
Head of the Department &
Member Secretary (ERIC)
NCERT, New Delhi.
.. I feel there is little I can add to the comments of praise already expressed by numerous experts and
I would very much welcome the opportunity of seeing the programme in action at some future date. With this in
mind, perhaps you would let me know when the colleges reopen and the programme is re-established so that I can
arrange to vist Nellore when we could also discuss the implications of the Open University.
Once again, many thanks for the very interesting and informative document, and I look forward to meeting you
some time soon.
Dr.D.J.F. Burton
Assistant Education Adviser
The British Council, Madras
.. It is felt that instead of the ICMR adopting certain independent districts for development in various
aspects, it is being proposed to join hands with the CSIR taking the task of up-lifting of health services in these
selected areas. I am communicating this information to the Ministry of Health and Family Planning for necessary
action.
Dr.C.GOPALAN, Director General
ICMR, New Delhi
.. I have appreciated the opportunity to carefully review your description of the proposed scheme for
National Science Service and Research Centers. The scheme is one that encompasses science in the lives of people
a goal that I personally find a most desirable challenge. Your scheme illustrates what creative people can do with
relevant concerns.
In this country, we do not have similar centers as I understand your description of them. This is not unusual, for I
believe that such centers will likely be productive when they are all designed to meet the needs of local problems.
We are concerned with helping teachers maintain their knowledge and skills. In a recent paper Teacher Centers I
have described how these centers function in this country and in England. Because of your interest, I am enclosing a
copy of this paper.

Be assured that we are pleased to encourage you in your efforts to improve science teaching.
Dr.David P.Butts, President
Association for the Education of Teachers
of Science,
The University of Georgia, USA
.. I am glad to hear that your scheme National Science Service and Research Centres is gaining
momentum. I wonder whether you would be willing to write a short article about your scheme that we might publish
in Science Education News. We could use an article of approximately 1,000 words. Please let me know if you would
be willing to do this.
Dr.Arthur H.Livermore
Deputy Director of Education
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Washington, U.S.A.
.. We found the idea very interesting and wish you every success with it.
Please find enclosed some documents on the education systems in Australian States which we trust will be of use to
you in the planning process.
Dr.A.H.Ennor, Secretary
Department of Education & Science
A.C.T., Australia
.. I certainly admire the energy and insight you have exhibited in the development of the plan
enclosed with your letter. I feel very privileged to learn of this ambitious program, and I am pleased with the
opportunity to make a small contribution by sending you my comments. First, the aims seem to me most admirable.
With regard to the programme of action, I feel most parts of it are very thoughtfully designed and are likely to make
a significant impact on the villages of India. I confess I am some what skeptical concerning the probable success of
phase I. I doubt that stories of the exploits of scientists will seem anything but mysterious to individuals with very
little background in science. I feel strongly that it is not a good idea to add to the impression of mystery that many
citizens have towards science. If the planning were up to me, I would concentrate on the educational phases of the
programme and let the stories of important scientific discoveries evolve in the natural context of learning some of
the basic methods, concepts, and findings of scientists.
I regard phase II, the technical and educational phase of your programme, as very ambitious but extremely well
planned. The topics you have decided to include are certain to be of interest to most citizens. I can only urge you to
begin this instruction at a very elementary level. All my experience in attempting to teach physics to students at
various ages impresses me with the difficulty of communicating with persons who have no knowledge of the
vocabulary, experimental procedures, or logical thought process used by scientist.
I have only one other suggestion in reaction to your proposal. It would seem to me that the problem assigned to each
student should be one proposed by the villagers themselves. I still fear that if projects are imposed upon them by a
group of well educated outsiders, they are likely to be very skeptical and may well resist rather than co-operate with
the programme. I do think the list of problems is an extremely interesting one. I am particularly impressed with the
importance of discussing problems of agriculture and health. Your pattern of organization seems to me very
admirable and I can think of nothing that would improve it.
I hope you will continue to keep me and others here at the State University of New York at Stony Brook informed of
the progress you made in implementing this programme. All of us have great interest in science education in India,
and if your programme is a success, we could no doubt profit by emulating it in efforts to educate our own rural
citizens.
Prof.A.A.Strassenburg
Executive Officer
A.A.P.T., New York.
.. Thank you for your letter dated 6 June with the interesting account of what seems to be a most
comprehensive and inspired scheme to help the rural dweller, who is so often disadvantaged in any country.

Enclosed is a copy of my monograph : Education and Rural Development with reference to Developing Countries,
which might be of interest to you.
From the enclosed letter to Dr.Basu, you will see that I am negotiating for a visit to India in a few months time. If I
am successful in my negotiations, could I come and spend a little time with you and help you with some of your
many projects ?
I am particularly interested in India, having spent a few months in 1962 at the University founded by Rabindranath
Tagore at Santiniketan in West Bengal.
Dr.G.M.Coverdale
School of Education
Macquarie University,
Australia
.. I consider your proposal of great value and indeed suitable to the realisation of the interest of the
younger student generation to the basic problems of your country and indeed any country in the world. I have visited
your country one year and a half ago, travelling by bus from Patna through Uttar Pradesh to Benaras, Agra and New
Delhi. From my granted superficial observation, it seems to me that your plan may well provide a solution for many
of the problems inherent in your village regions. I venture to say that a similar program might be well very fruitful in
my own country and therefore I shall be grateful to you if you would be so kind to send me information on the
further development of your program and its realisation.
With best wishes to you and to your admirable program.
Prof.A.DE VRIES, Bellinson Hospital
Health Insurance Institution
Petah Tiqva/Israel
.. The proposed scheme of National Science Service has very valuable motivations. Its programme is
wide enough to catch interest of villagers as well as students.
As you say the success depends on the missionary zeal for service through science. This scheme will also provide a
practical target to the biological associations and other scientific clubs already existing in so many colleges and
Universities of India.
The more delicate point will be the real contact with the villagers themselves. This will require a good psychological
approach, and appropriate choice, of the problems and subjects of primary and practical interest for the villagers.
Their voluntary cooperation will not be obtained, at least at the beginning, without any hope of some betterness or
solution of their own problems.
The success or failure of the scheme at the village level will greatly depend on the first practical results obtained by
the students clubs. This may be a better way to get villagers confidence and help, than lecturing on more general and
philosophic views on science and humanity.
On the other hand, the scientific out turn of the students enquiries and field studies will depend mostly on the
scientific level and capability of the Leaders, Lecturers or Demonstrators involved in the scheme.
I am sure that you have in mind these difficulties which are existing in almost all the countries of the world. Rural
development schemes, in the broadest sense, requires first a good sociological approach, and as much psychology as
scientific knowledge.
Wishing you the best of success.
Prof. Dr.J.L. Trochain, Service De., Botanique Universite Paul
Sabatier, France
.. Your letter with an enclosure entitled National Science Service and Research Centres was referred
to the Science Foundation of the Philippines (SFP) by our Department of Foreign Affairs. Your request for the
Philippine Embassy in India to send the scheme to the concerned authorities to take appropriate action bespeaks of
your keen desire to make the people not only of India but also of Southeast Asia, benefit from Science and
Technology - a laudable measure you have taken.

Like your country, the Science Foundation of the Philippines (SFP) representing the Philippines is a member of the
International Coordinating Committee for the Presentation of Science and the Development of Out-of-School
Scientific Activities (ICC). For this reason, we have been collaborating with the ICC Regional Vice President
Dr.Ananda Ghosh of the Bose Institute in Calcutta in the development of programmes for Southeast Asia with
strategies similar to what is described in your scheme. Rest assured that the SFP staff will closely study your scheme
and will adapt applicable ideas with due credit to you in its out-of-school science education project. We will
appreciate continuously receiving from you information on developments regarding your youth community project.
Thank you,
Juan Salcedo, JR., President
Science Foundation of the Philippines
Manila
.. Concerning Taking Science to Villages and for the pamphlet on your National Science Service
Programme with the many stimulating comments. The enthusiasm for your program appears to be great and the
workship certainly can lay the conceptual and organisatorial foundations.
It seems to me that the great problem of our world today is not so much the academisation of the young generation,
than the effective and productive integration of academic youth into society, both by adjusting education to societys
demand and by reforming society so as to become receptive to developed minds. This has to be a two-way
interaction. Unfortunately, as we have seen in our generation, academisation has in considerable measure increased
the distance between youth and society, and, in spite of the New Left, the gap has not yet been narrowed, indeed,
seems to be widening. Whichever is guilty lack of education or wrong education, society nowadays appears to turn
away from learning except from purely technical, and to distrust the academician except in his technical knowledge,
and youth becomes more and more materialistic pragmatic.
It is my firm belief that in the final issue the fate of the world, if not ending in disaster, will have to be determined
by spiritual forces guiding mankind in the use of its acquired technical skills which, if left on their own, shall be
useless or worse, destructive. That is where your village program may be of great value, by exposing the student to
the impact of society with its spiritual values, so that in reforming society he shall keep in mind the limitations of the
natural sciences in shaping a human future , and shall be open to the manifestations of mans soul.
With best wishes,
Prof. A.DE VRIES, Beilinson Hospital
Health Insurance Institution
Petah Tiqva / Israel

Post Graduate Diploma in Rural Science

As organisations like CSIR, ICAR, UGC, ICMR are giving top priority to science and rural development, I suggest
a Post-Graduate Diploma in Rural Science be started in universities for science graduates of 2 years duration. The
syllabus must include : 1) Primary Health Care, 2) Fertilizer use, 3) Pest Control, 4) Tractor, Pumpset Repair and
Maintenance, 5) Improving Rural Transport, 6) Adult Literacy, 7) Gobar Gas Technology, 8) Family Planning, 9)
Soil Analysis, 10) Water Analysis and so on.
The emphasis must be more on practical training. 25 percent theory 25 per cent practicals and 50 percent field study.
After the training the candidates can be provided employment in villages. This Diploma will give an opportunity to
young science students to relaise their social responsibility and for the villagers to develop respect towards science.
Collaboration between institutions like Medical, Agricultural, Engineering is essential to make this project a success.
The Central Rural Agency set up under the Chairmanship of Dr.M.S. Swaminathan, Director-General, ICAR can
finance this project.

REACTIONS
.. You might have probably read about a rural service scheme that is being suggested to people
wanting to do work in the villages.
I am sending your letter to Secretary, Ministry of Education Mr.Sabanayagam.

Prof.Y.Nayudamma, Director General

CSIR - New Delhi.

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20550
Directorate for Science Education
Division of Science Education Development and Research
Dear Mr. Jagaadeesh,
.. I received your letter dated May 9. I am interested in your idea of teaching a course in Rural
Science to science graduates. I do agree that the application of science to technological problems encountered in
rural areas could produce large benefits. For such a program to be successful, two conditions are clearly necessary:
(1) There must be faculty members at the universities who are able and willing to offer such courses. (2) There must
be jobs or other rewards available to the students who enroll in such courses. I do not know the situation in India
well enough to be sure that these two conditions are met, but if they are, I believe you have a very good idea.
..Courses such as the one you described are not offered routinely in United States Universities.
However, such courses have been offered on occasion under the auspices of the Peace Corps in order to train
volunteers for service in developing countries. More details about such courses could probably be obtained by
writing to the director of ACTION, Mr.Michael P.Balzano, Jr.His address is 806 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20525.
Yours sincerely,
Prof. A.A. Strassenburg
Professional Associate
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20550
Directorate for Science Education
Division of Science Education Development and Research
Dear Professor Jagadeesh
I enjoyed reading your letter of September 23, 1976. I admire your intense national pride, and I respect
your scholarly efforts to learn about the accomplishments of ancient Indian Scholars.
I will try to answer your questions concerning comparable nationalistic activities on the part of historians
and scientists in the United States. The textbooks studied by students in the United States do chronicle exploits and
discoveries of the major scientists in the Western world. Some authors do give special attention to American heroes,
but so much of our culture originated in Europe that non-American Western scholars tend dominate whenever this
history goes back more than a hundred years. I regret to say that there is little treatment of the work of Eastern
scholars in the United States textbooks.
You also ask if there is extensive use of herbs for medicinal purposes among citizens of the United States. I
believe it is fairly common practice for rural people particularly those in the mountain areas of West Virginia,
Kentucky, and Tennessee to treat their own minor ailments with the use of natural herbs. This practice has been
largely discredited by the medical profession in our country and is a almost unknown among urban dwellers.
Best wishes for your continued efforts to bring the pioneering work of Indian scholars to the attention of
India Students.
Sincerely yours,
Prof. A.A.Strassenburg
Proffessional Associate

.. Your idea seems to be rather interesting. I hope the Medical Council will react favourably. If a
reference is made to me I will certainly do whatever I can.
Dr.C.Gopalan, Director General
ICMR - New Delhi.
.. I have found your suggestion of starting a post-graduate diploma in rural science in our
Universities, an excellent one and will do whatever I can to pursue it.
Dr.P.M.Bhargava, Deputy Director
R.R.Laboratory, Hyderabad.
.. Your suggestion is quite interesting. I would suggest you taking of the question with the Ministry of
Education at the Centre.
Dr.V.K.R.V. Rao
.. Your idea is good but I suggest that you take it up with the general Universities in the State which
are better equipped to run such courses.
M.V. Rajagopal, Vice Chancellor
J.N.T. University, Hyderabad

To
The Secretary
UGC
New Delhi
Sir,
I am enclosing herewith a letter, in original, received from Shri A. Jagadeesh of Society of Science for the People,
Nellore, A.P. regarding introduction of a course in Rural Science in the Universities, for favour of necessary action
at your end. Shri Jagadeesh has also enclosed a syllabus with the same.
S.K.Baruah
Project Co-ordinator
Department of Science & Technology
New Delhi.
.. I am directed to refer to your letter No.AJ/GC/1752 dated 16 th May, 1977 addressed to Shri
B.D.Jatti, the then acting President of India and No.AJ/GC/2000/77 dated 12 th July, 1977 on the above subject and
to say that the suggestions for implementation of above courses in Universities would be placed before the UGC
Implementation Committee on Restructuring of Courses for consideration at its next meeting.
G.G.Dandapat
Education Officer
UGC New Delhi.
.. I wish to state that letter which you have addressed to Dr.Malcolm S.Adiseshaiah, vice-chancellor,
University of Madras has been referred to me for further response to the idea which you have put forward, for
having a Post-Graduate Diploma Course in Rural Sciences. I have looked into your letter carefully and also noted
the syllabus that should be included for the diploma course. The syllabus as indicated by you would involve experts
from various disciplines and unless any institution or university is capable of mustering the co-operation of people
from mutual disciplines such a course cannot be easily organised or run. I, therefore would like to have more details
from you so that we in Madras University can do a lot of hard thinking on the proposal which you have given.
Prof.M.Santappa, Director
CLRI Madras.
.. I thank you for your letter of 27th April, 1978 enclosing the syllabus and scheme of examination for
M.A. degree in Rural Development that is being run at Anantapur. Kindly let me know what are the employment

possibilities for these graduates. Any new course that are started should find ample employment opportunities. Do
you envisage a larger potential for employment of these graduates.
Prof.M.Santappa
th

.. I thank you for your letter No.AJ/GC/1685/77, dated 26 May 1977. I must particularly thank you
to have sent me complete literature with regard to your proposed diploma course. It is also interesting to see that you
have written to so many eminent people all of whom appear to have responded quite favourably to your proposal. As
you have correctly pointed out a subject of this type should invariably be dealt with by organisations like CSIR,
ICAR or ICMR. Universities, as you may be aware, have considerable constraints with regard to finances for
running the courses of this nature which fall in the frontier as well as interdisciplinary areas. In our own University I
wanted to start a diploma course in leather technology and a part time degree course as part of the evening course in
my own institute. Unfortunately our own University was not in a position to finance this course and the concerned
interested industrialists while being happy for starting such courses are not in a position immediately to meet the
expenditure for running the courses of this nature which are very important in leather industry which is one of the
most important in our own country.
I shall be discussing further this subject with my colleagues as well as with the University and revert on this matter
again with you. I am not discouraging you in your efforts but I am only stating the constraints which our University
may have in starting this type of course.
With best regards,
Prof. M.Santappa, Director
CLRI MADRAS

Science Museums in Districts

Science is now advancing at a rapid speed in our country. There is acute need to take Science to the masses. When
Science is increasingly becoming an integral part of our life, it is hardly necessary to emphasize the need for Science
Museums in towns. Its importance in the education of our youth and in providing incentives to scientific talent is
well known. When our country is set to achieve self-sufficiency in the production of all essential commodities by
developing industries, using indigenous materials and talent, scientific education and growth of mind becomes an
essential pre-requisite. Though there are other ways of popularising science, Science Museums can play an
important role as Seeing is Believing.
To establish Science Museums in Districts require enormous investment. I have a novel scheme. Every year District
and State Science Fairs should be conducted throughout the country. The best exhibits from these fairs can be
pooled and placed in a college, high school or District Central Library building. We can tap the young talent if we
can put their names on the exhibits as this gives them a stimulus to design new things. Simple apparatus showing
basic principles of Science can be designed. If resources permit, in due course, these Museums can be upgraded into
major museums like those at Calcutta or Bangalore.
The main objectives are :

To stimulate interest in science and education so that more and more children may be attracted in future
towards research, engineering and teaching.

To portray the application of Science and Technology to Industry and contribution to human welfare.

To encourage the creative talent amongst the younger generation.

To popularize science in other ways.

We are planning to organise a Museum in our own District. Out Motto is Science to Serve Society Society to
Support Science. Let us hope the scheme will materialize and be a success.

REACTIONS
.. Kindly refer to your letter No.AJ/GC/1009/74-75 dated 3rd February, 1975 on the above subject
addressed to Dr.Nayudamma, DGSIR. It will be a good idea to put up a Science Museum at Tirupati to popularise
science and Technology, since thousands of people visit Tirupati throughout the year. CSIR Museums will be
willing to lend their expertise in setting up such a science museum. If you think that TTD may be willing to give

financial support for such a project, why not request the TTD Authorities to initiate the matter and approach the
CSIR along with the offer of funds?
I thank you for your keen interest in the establishment of science museums at Tirupati and hope to hear from you
soon in this matter.
A.BOSE, Director of Museums
CSIR - Calcutta
.. There is already a proposal to establish the Science and Art Museum at Tirupati. I am sure it will
fructify soon with the help of the State Government, the Centre and the Devasthanam.
C.Anna Rao, Chairman
TTD Tirupati
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20550
Directorate for Science Education
Division of Science Education Development and Research
Dear Mr. Jagadeesh,
I received your letters dated August 9, August 14, and August 24 th. I will comment below on the issues you
raised in all three of these letters.
Since museums play a very important role in improving the science literacy of the public in the United
States. Every large city in the United States has a science museum, and some of the smaller cities and large
university campuses do also. Among other roles they play, science museums help to keep young children and adults
not otherwise engaged in scientific activities interested in and informed about progress that is being made on the
frontiers of science. There is a new movement in this country to make science museums an even more vital force in
our educational programs than they have been in the past. The basic idea is to make it possible for museum goers to
interact with scientific apparatus and to directly observe scientific phenomena under controlled conditions rather
than to passively observe static displays. This style is perhaps best exemplified in the Palace of Arts and Sciences
Museum in San Francisco, under the direction of Dr.Frank Oppenheimer. By contacting Dr.Oppenheimer directly,
you could obtain more details concerning the objectives and display techniques employed at his museum.
Shortages of textbooks available for student use is not a problem common to the students at colleges and
universities in the United States. I am somewhat familiar with this problem as it exists in India, and I certainly agree
that it is extremely important to adopt new strategies that make textbooks more readily available to science students.
In my view your plan to create collections of textbooks in each district is very sound. Libraries are very important
and heavily used resources in the United States. Compared to the impact they have in improving the education and
general literacy of the population, libraries are inexpensive to establish and operate. As I understand your plan, you
propose to create libraries that specialize in textbooks in use in the schools of each district in India. By specialising
in the content of the library in this way, you should be able to provide a more efficient service to the students.
Psychological counseling is much in demand among students at colleges and universities in the United
States. Each college provides one or more appropriately trained counselors, and these are heavily used by the
students. If it is impossible to provide such a counselor on each college campus in India, then the provision of
centrally located psychological counseling services would seem to be extremely important. While I know little about
such matters, it is my opinion that it is extremely important to select counselors that are trained to deal with the kind
of psychological problems that are characteristic of young students. The only problem I see in the establishment of
centralised centers that serve large regions is the sensitive nature of the service being provided. It is my impression
that students will only avail themselves of such services when they have confidence that the counselor is likely to
understand and be sympathetic with the problems of the student, and when there is a guarantee that the conferences
between counselor and student will be kept confidential. It may take some special effort on your part to persuade the
students on campuses to avail themselves of a remote psychological counseling service. However, I think it is worth
further study and a trial in one or two typical districts.
I hope these comments are helpful.
Sincerely yours,

Prof. A.A. Strassenburg

Professional Associate

Science & Technology Film Centre

Despite all the efforts of Government, many colleges and universities lack the latest and sophisticated scientific
equipment. The reasons are : (1) mass expansion of educational institutions (2) rising cost of equipment and (3) lack
of proper accommodation.
No college or university can have the full range of apparatus in chosen fields as science and technology is expanding
at a rapid speed. The complaint often made by many colleges is lack of equipment. The solution to this problem is to
use mass media like films on science and technological subjects.
Subject-wise scientific and technical films (16 mm) can be produced and loaned to colleges and universities.
Organisations like CSIR, UGC, etc., can set up Scientific and Technological Film Centre at a place in the heart of
the country. They can loan films to colleges and universities. Of course, we are now having general films on
subjects like sound, electricity, etc. But what we need is films on special subjects like (1) nitrogen cycle, (2) the
combustion process (3) lasers (4) mass spectrograph, (5) electron microscope, etc. Also films can be produced on
the work carried out by laboratories under CSIR, ICAR, ICMR, BARC and on research institutes like IITs, TIFR,
BITS, etc.
By seeing these films (with sound track and explanation) a student can have first hand information on the latest
equipment and the subject. Wherever possible, the commentary in the film should be by a reputed scientist on the
subject. These can be distributed throughout the country. The colleges and universities seeking these films can bear
the freight charges. To start with, 20 copies on each subject can be produced. The advantages are :
(1) The student gets first hand information on the latest developments in the subject and equipment.
(2) The films can be sent to every nook and corner
(3) Teachers in colleges may not be proficient in all subjects. Here the students will have the advantage of
hearing from an authority on the subject, which they will appreciate more and
(4) They will inspire the young students to emulate the great scientists. In this connection the possibility of
collaboration with countries like the USA or Britain may be explored.

REACTIONS
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20550
Directorate for Science Education
Division of Science Education Development and Research
Dear Dr. Jagadeesh,
Thank you for your letter dated November 4. Without doubt it is important for educational institutions to
make greater use of the media in order to improve education. In particular, film provides a mechanism for
transmitting information to students that would be difficult to transmit in any other way. I will concentrate my
comments on film because your letter indicated a strong interest in this medium. Films are used widely though not
extensively in the educational institutions in the United States. Most of the curriculum projects supported by the
National Science Foundation and other agencies prepared 16 mm films as well as other instructional materials. The
use of 8 mm film loops is increasing. These are often prepared locally by science teachers and students. There is
available now in the united States a large array of educational films in the sciences. In the case of physics, a catalog
of such films can be obtained from the AIP Information Pool, Graduate Physics Building, State University of New
York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York 11794.
I certainly recommend that science educators in India explore the possibility of using film more extensively
for educational purposes. However, I do want to share with you two problems associated with such an effort. First,
the production of films is quite expensive. Because extensive facilities as well as talented individuals are essential,
such film production should only be undertaken at a small number of central locations. Undoubtedly support from
the Government will be essential. In the United States we have observed a substantial resistance to the use of films

on the part of science teachers. In part this problem is undoubtedly logistical. It is simply awkward to arrange to
have the film projector, and an operator in the classroom at the appointed time the film is to be shown. Even in the
case of universities that provide a convenient film service, the need to plan film showings in advance of the day
they are to be shown still creates a barrier that prevents the extensive use of the film. I believe another contributing
factor is the fact that films do not fit well with the teaching styles of most U.S. science teachers. Most science
teachers attempt to stimulate an active session involving discussions and demonstrations that center on interactions
involving students and the teacher. Watching a film is a passive activity, and what is more, the decision as to what
the film should contain was made externally and thus the content will rarely fit perfectly with the goals of a
particular instructional situation. While I believe film can play an important role in science instruction, I urge you to
investigate some of these barriers to the use of films before you make a large investment in the production of films.
Now let me turn to your second idea. Bringing good students together at a central location during the
summer for study and research could make a valuable contribution to the education of some students. Several
programs of this kind have been conducted in the United States during the past fifteen years. One essential feature
for a successful program is a faculty member who devotes an appreciable amount of time to the orientation and
guidance of the students. When this is not possible, the students are generally disappointed in their experience. The
only other difficulty associated with this kind of program is the cost. In the United States at least, the students must
be compensated for the loss of salary they could earn by working instead of studying. At one time, Federal support
could be obtained for such programs. Currently, we tend to invest more of our money for student support in students
who are economically deprived rather than in students who are academically talented. For this reason, the number of
such programs has diminished.
If you can obtain Government support for this kind of program, I do recommend that you experiment with
it on a small scale. It can be justified provided there is need in your country to provide intensive specialised training
to a small number of talented scientists.
Best wishes for success with both of these ventures.
Sincerely yours,
Prof. A.A. Strassenburg
Professional Associate

P.G. Diploma Courses in Applied Sciences in Laboratories

A clear analysis of the present educational system will immediately show that our education for most part of it is
irrelevant and does not equip candidates to be gainfully employed and, indeed, there is no relationship between the
trained manpower output and the proper manpower utilization. This has created many problems. Chief among them
is the ineffective utilization of the trained personnel and the consequent frustration. It is now being increasingly
realized that the educational system should be oriented to train students who would be able to meet the demands of
situation. For this the technological institutes and the post-graduate departments of the Universities should take a
particular project and organize its course around the projects. This will bring in relevance to our education and
students will find easy employment. There is an additional advantage in doing this and that is suitably trained people
who are capable of delivering the goods would be attracted to the Indian industry so that the industry can hope to
innovate new things.
The present educational system has a certain purpose and that is giving a broad, general grounding in the basic
principles. What is really necessary is the orientation to particular craft, technology or skills. To begin with it is
better to start some short term courses by well established departments, technological institutions and national
laboratories. These courses should be designed to serve specific purposes. There should be considerable flexibility in
these courses in respect of the duration, the standard of attainments, eligibility, etc. There would indeed be a wide
variety of courses designed to cover the entire gamut of industrial growth and other needs of the country.
For example, a short course in electronics can be given to an M.Sc. Physics student with electronics specialization.
A post-graduate in the above subject will have only a general view of the subject (mostly theory). When he seeks
employment in an agency like ECIL or BARC, he faces stiff competition from B.E. and B.Tech. students
(Telecommunication). The post-graduate is no where near the engineering graduate so far as practical knowledge is
concerned. Ultimately he joins a nationalized bank as a clerk having more chance of getting employment in his field
of specialization. I will give another example. Three years back, a new course Physics of thin films was started as
specialization for M.Sc. (Physics) students at S.V. University, Tirupati (AP). No doubt, the student learns more

about optical and electrical properties of thin films, he lacks practical knowledge because of non availability of
sophisticated equipment. A reputed laboratory like National Physical Laboratory can come to the rescue of these
post-graduates by starting a post-graduate diploma in Thin films. Similarly, National Chemical Laboratory can
start a course for chemistry post-graduates and like-wise other Laboratories on related subjects according to the
equipment and staff available.
It is a well established fact that national laboratories are well equipped compared to the Universities. Everybody
wishes to join a Laboratory if one gets a chance rather than joining other organizations. Training in laboratories
under CSIR is considered as a tool for gainful employment. In equipping the student with practical knowledge the
national laboratories under CSIR can take the lead by starting post-graduate diploma courses in applied science
subjects.

Occupational Promotion Centres

The best protection against unemployment is a solid training and constant additions to it. That costs time and money
things which must be provided by the learner himself, industry and the state. Investments made in this respect by
industry and the State are by no means gifts to unemployed persons. They are investments which pay off,
investments which increase productivity, quantitatively and qualitatively. And, on the other hand an unemployed
person who does not possess the qualifications which make it possible to reintegrate him into the labour process
means expense with no prospect of profit. Well trained young people have the best chances on the labour market.
We find lakhs of unemployed youths keeping idle soon after they complete their studies and until they get
employment. As they lack proper facilities to receive some useful training their energies are being diverted for
wrong ends. Occupational Promotion Centres can be established at district level where they can get free training
(part time) in occupations like welding, radio mechanism, drilling, carpentry, glass blowing etc., on technical side,
soil testing, water analysis, blood testing etc., on scientific side. This training will go a long way in equipping the
trainees with some practical knowledge which will help them to start an industry of their own or in getting some
gainful employment. We are having Industrial training Institutes, Polytechnics etc., to give training in industrial
and technical subjects. But the above centres have a difference from these institutes in that the centres operate on the
principle Voluntary Learning is more Effective than forced learning.
People with real interest for the training should only be admitted. I personally know many people working as
apprentices in private workshops and radio shops to learn the techniques. These are people who are quite new to the
field though they have aptitude for that profession. Recently a young high school student designed a microscope
which costs just a rupee, purely with limited material available. If such students are permitted to avail the facilities
of an established workshop or laboratory, I am sure they can benefit much to improve their inventive talents.
There is a hobby centre in S.V. University to give training to University students in fields like radio mechanism,
glass blowing etc., which is working very well at Tirupati. The training is free to University students.
I suggest the Union Government with the active co-operation of the different State Governments can chalk out a
scheme to establish Occupational Promotion Centres in Districts. All that these centres need is a good workshop
and a small laboratory with two or three well trained instructors. The above centres will help unemployed youth for
gainful employment after training and go a long way in the national reconstruction from grassroot level. At the end
of the training, a certificate can be given to the trainees. There should be flexibility in the duration of the training
depending on the interest of the trainees.

REACTIONS
.. The central theme of your proposal is well taken. We have only to find out the mechanism and
consider whether CSIR should be the focal point for doing this. However, I shall get this proposal examined further.
Prof.Y.Nayudamma, Director General
CSIR New Delhi

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PHYSICS TEACHERS

Stony Brook, New York, U.S.A.
Dear Professor Jagadeesh,
.. Your suggestion that the Indian Government might support college professors who wish to take
leaves of absence to enter businesses that would further develop products and process they may have invented is an
interesting one. In the United States there is an excess of college professors for the demands current enrollments
place upon them for teaching and for the available Federal support for basic research. One drastic consequence of
this situation is that young scientists find it extremely difficult to obtain academic positions. Many schemes are
being discussed that might alleviate this situation. Among them are the following: (1) early retirement; (2) support
by the Federal government so that senior professors can devote full time to research so that younger professors will
be needed as teachers; (3) encouraging senior professors to undertake second careers. The last of these three
somewhat resembles your idea though as of this time we have developed no formal mechanisms for implementing
this concept.
.. I do not know whether India has a similar problem among its university professors. If so, the
Federal government might indeed be persuaded to adopt a scheme such as yours to solve two problems
simultaneously: first the excess of professors and second the need for technological development in India. It is my
impression that some of the senior professors would welcome such a change. If the arrangement you have designed
also opens the possibility that inventors might realise financial gain through government support, this would be a
strong inducement.
I would be pleased to be kept informed of any developments along these lines.
Sincerely yours,
Prof. A.A. Strassenburg
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PHYSICS TEACHERS
Stony Brook, New York, U.S.A.
Dear Mr. Jagadeesh,
Thank you for sending your articles about occupational promotion centers and post-graduate diploma
courses. Helping the unemployed to become better qualified for specific kinds of employment is certainly a
worthwhile cause. I think your plans are both excellent, and I hope your government can find a way to support a
program such as that you have outlined.
Until our recent recession became serious, unemployment was not a serious problem for most persons in
the United States. There are, of course, ghetto areas in our big cities where many people are unemployed and poorly
educated, and there are some depressed areas in other locations in the United States where large factories or mines
that once employed many people have closed. In these cities and areas, state, country, and city governments do set
up programmes that assist the unemployed to develop new skills that would enable them to secure jobs. The variety
of such programmes is vast, and I am familiar with only a few. The one that I know best and one that seems to be
very effective is a program of courses on technical subjects offered at very low cost by the country government here
on Long Island. It is also true that our two-year community colleges here in the United States, colleges that are
largely supported through country budgets, offer programms in a wide variety of technical and occupational fields.
Since a number of these colleges are very large, most students can live at home while attending such a college and
thereby keep costs very low. Students who graduate with what is called an Associates degree with a specialty in
some occupational field are much in demand and usually find it quite easy to secure employment. Many cities
operate craft centers particularly during the summer months where students and other who are unemployed can
learn a variety of manual skills. I think these play much the same role as your hobby centers would play.
The American Association of Physics Teachers does publish the Physics Teacher magazine, not the Science
Teacher. The Science Teacher is published by the National Science Teachers Association; their address is 1201, 16 th
street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. I have enclosed one copy of a recent issue of The Physics Teacher.
Note that you can subscribe to this journal for $15. You might also consider becoming a member of AAPT.
The membership fee for 1975 is $22. Each member has a choice of receiving either The Physics Teacher or the
American Journal of Physics, and in addition he receives four issues of the AAPT Announcer and a monthly journal

called Physics Today published by the American Institute of Physics. I have enclosed an application blank in case
you decide to join AAPT.
Sincerely yours,
Prof. A.A. Strassenburg
.. Kindly refer to your letter No.AJ/GC/2908/77-78 dated 13.03.1978 on the subject mentioned above
addressed to Honourable Minister of Industry enclosing a scheme on Occupational Promotional Centres to be
established in Districts. These schemes are really useful.
It may be mentioned that District Industries Centres are being set up in the country where all assistance will be
provided to entrepreneurs under one roof. The training programmes will also be provided to the entrepreneurs in
various trades which have got scope in respective areas. The
trainees will be provided stipend and all efforts will be made to settle them in the trade after the completion of their
training.
Swarajya Prakash, Director (DIC)
Office of the Development Commissioner
(Small Scale Industries)
Ministry of Industry, New Delhi
.. While I am in entire agreement with the idea of having such centres around the country, I
personally feel that the establishment of these centres would come more appropriately under the purview of the
Ministry of Education. To be effective, the CSIR laboratories must confine themselves to a limited set of activities.
I suggest that you write to the University Grants Commission in this connection. It should be possible for them to
ask and fund the universities in various places to start the type of centres you have suggested. Such centres could
also function as parts of Science Museums more of which, I hope, would be established in the country in the coming
years.
Dr.P.M.Bhargava, Deputy Director
R.R.laboratory, Hyderabad
.. Your scheme for establishing Occupational Promotion Centres seems to be a useful one but we
are unable to give any assistance in view of the fact that ICAR deals with only research and higher education in
agriculture. However, for your information I am enclosing a copy of the Mehta Committee Report on establishing
Krishi Vigyan Kendra for the skill-oriented training of the farmers, farmers sons, school-dropouts, school certificate
holders and in service extension workers. If you feel that such a Kendra could be a feasible proposition for you to
establish, we will be happy to consider the same on its merit.
With kind regards,
Dr.N.K.Anant Rao
Deputy Director General (Education)
ICAR, New Delhi

Visit to CLRI
At the invitation of the Director, Central Leather Research Institute, Madras, the Author visited CLRI and delivered
a lecture. The Scientists including Prof.Y.Nayudamma, Prof. M. Santappa appreciated the lecture very much.
No.D/332/78

Date:23.03.1978

Dear Mr.Jagadeesh,
I have been receiving all your letters. I would suggest your coming down to Madras one day and discuss
the various matters with us. You will be the guest of the Central Leather Research Institute and I request you to
deliver a lecture also to our scientists. Please let me know your convenience. We can discuss the matter regarding
publication of Vignana Pragathi by the Telugu Bhasha Samiti people in Madras. Please respond to my invitation.

With best regards,

Yours sincerely,
Dr. M.SANTAPPA, Director
CLRI, MADRAS

Here is the copy of the Lecture

Respected Prof.Nayudamma, Prof.Santappa and distinguished Scientists,
Let me in the outset express my grateful thanks to Prof.Santappa for inviting me to CLRI to be with you this
evening. I must confess that I am not a Scientist but only a scientific worker striving hard to bring science to the
doors of those who need it. Perhaps the idea in inviting me to CLRI is to have a dialogue between Scientists and
carriers of science. In my lecture I am going to deal with various science programmes I have undertaken since a
decade. Most of the schemes are already in progress and some of them are receiving attention at international level.
In our country about 70% of people live and work in rural areas. It is precisely here that the process of
modernization has thus far made its smallest imprint. What then is the cause for this problem? Is it wrong policy?
Are there lacuna in the implementation stage? So many questions come to mind. First and foremost reason lies in the
short sighted policy of adopting imported technology to suit indegenous needs. This problem is not common in
India alone but in many developing countries as well. In our eagerness to catch up with the west, we have drawn up
science and technology plans centered around urban man ignoring the back-bone of the nation rural man. The
planners often cite the example of mass illiteracy in India for the slow dissemination of scientific knowledge. This
is far from reality. We must not forget the fact that it is the uneducated villager of Punjab and Haryana that produced
the green revolution in wheat. The villager will not lag behind in adopting what is best for him and his family. We
often think of modernising tractor but rarely think of improving the traditional plough used by millions of farmers
in rural India. This is where the rural people were isolated from understanding science and appreciating it. On the
other hand too much sophistication of our scientific and technological advancement confining to urban areas and
satisfying the needs of urban dwellers left the villager to think of science as a tool intelligently used by affluent
persons to satisfy their ego. That is why the villager often looks at science with contempt muchless to understand it
in its true sense.

Need for Appropriate Technology

Ideas float around in bewildering numbers, and scores of designs, ranging from windmills to the spinning wheel, are
available; papers are circulated stating the wonders of intermediate (not appropriate) technology what could be done,
why it should be done, what must be done, and how the rural countryside can be changed if intermediate technology
is implemented. Experts are called from abroad to tell people this.
In all this talk, there seems to be no place for the ideas generated by farmers, rural artisans, members of the
scheduled castes and harijans. A stand seems to have been taken that this transfer of technology for the socioeconomic regeneration of the rural areas is a novelty for country-folk. But rural communities have survived for
generations without any help in ideas and materials from outside. They have developed a low-cost technology of
their own, suited to their own particular areas. It would be foolish to over look and take for granted methods used by
farmers and artisans. When a ploughshare develops trouble on the field, when a bullock cart breaks down on the
road to market, when a house collapses in a storm, the villager uses materials available in the immediate vicinity to
solve his problem. It is the scientist who must see these problems as challenges that must be met if there is to be
development in rural areas. It is clear that the villagers and scientists will see the problems of the villages quite
differently, and it will not always be true that the projects proposed by the scientists will be meaningful to the
villages. If projects are imposed on the villagers, they are likely to be skeptical and may well resist rather than cooperate with the programme. Rural Development Schemes, in the broadest sense, requires first a good sociological
approach, and as much psychology as scientific knowledge. After all country means people and not soil. In order
to bring science to the doors of those who need it we must make school as nucleus and students and teachers as
participants.
Prof.Y.Nayudamma, Distinguished Scientist, is right when he said, If Indian Scientists had made an effort to utilise
the available knowledge and techniques to solve the everyday problems of the people they would have acted as
social reformers or revolutionaries and builders of a new India. What scientists ought to have done is to give teeth
to the philosophy of self reliance by applying scientific knowledge to meet the needs of the society in which they
were living and help the people amongst whom they were living to help themselves. Had they done so, people, when

in distress, would have turned to them for help themselves, instead of going to mullah or a pundit. Moreover this
would have ended their (Scientists) isolation form the people.
Dr.C. C.Gopalan, Director General, ICMR, has this to day, we have miserably failed in reaching the rural masses
with health care. The main reason being our lop-sided planning and inverted pyramid development. The village is
being looked at as a distant periphery. The neglect of rural sector should give way to action at village level.

Exploitation of Rural Assets :

We have vast areas of vacant land. Cant something useful be exploited from this? There are many trees which
thrive under a variety of environmental conditions even without water. To name a few, we have Accacia Arabica,
Prosopis Juliflora. The former has an advantage in that it is used by agriculturists for making bullock-carts, as firewood and also the bark used for tanning purposes, the parts for feeding the cattle for giving more milk etc. We have
Annona Sqamosa (Seethaphal). The seed of the fruit is very useful as the oil from it is used in paints. There is
Agave (Americana) which grows abundantly. Rural people extract fibre from this plant which is used in thread
making. The pulp has Cellulose which can be used as source in the manufacture of paper. The plant when put in
water for longer times produces bad smell. This led me to think of using it in Gober gas plants to produces bio-gas.
There must be large scale exploitation of fibre from this plant.
A third of the worlds population (and 90 % in poor countries) rely on fire-wood for cooking. At least half of the
timber cut in the world is used as fuel. But the growth of human population is out-pacing the growth of new trees.
The firewood scarcity today is the most acute in the Indian sub-continent and in central Africa fringing the sahara. In
Nepal, according to Eric P.Eckholm (Natural History, 84, 8 October, 1975) firewood prices have risen faster than
that of kerosene, wood is simply accepted as a major living expense. In west-African Sahel region, it takes up onefouth of a familys income.
The firewood crisis goes noticed, say Eckholm, because it lacks the Photogenic Visibility of Famine. The most
pernicious single result of firewood scarcity is, the burning of cow-dung--to which many people in India, Pakistan,
and Bangladeesh have been forced. Annually between 60 and 80 million tons of dried dung, which represent 300 to
400 million tonnes of wet, freshly collected manure, are burned for fuel in India alone, robbing farm land of badly
needed nutrients and organic matter.
Hence the need of the hour is to grow trees to get firewood and also to ensure ecological balance. A scheme can be
chalked out to mobilize all available resources towards afforesation to check denudation of forests in rural and
urban areas. Licences can be granted to educational institutions, registered societies, public trusts and industrial
houses to cover areas like barren hillocks or grossly understocked hillocks, with vegetation. A nominal licence fee of
Rs.2/- per hectare per year can be charged and the licencees would be entitled to the fruits of trees planted by them.
We have vast reservoir of herbs lying unutilised. The university and college biology students must be encouraged to
collect the herbs and record the methods of curing in practice in rural areas. These can be primarily screened, studied
and sent to an organization like Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow for synthesis. Here the views of our
former Prime Minister at the inaugural session of the 63 rd Indian Science Congress Association held at Vizag are
worth recalling.
r.Swaminathan has spoken of taking advantage of the steroid properties of widely known plants
for family planning. There is a well known story about Charaka, the ancient physician. When
asked by his teacher to bring plants which were quite useless, he returned empty handed
remarking that there was no such plant. Old familiar household remedies are being lost. A few
may have owed their efficiency to faith rather than science; but science is gradually discovering
that not all folk remedies are unscientific. We must encourage rural women and children to
identify and preserve valuable plants. We should also popularise wider cultivation and the use of
plants which supply nutritional deficiencies. The first step in rural uplift is to inculcate in villages
a greater pride in their environments, in local flora and wildlife, in their own arts and crafts.
Modernity does not imply alternation. Hence universities and laboratories must come close to
villages.

Educational Programmes :

In our educational system (both at School and College level) emphasis must be laid on schemes which envisage
exposure of students to the problems of society. Just as we have NCC, NSS, we can also have a National Science
Service Programme (NSSP), which envisages the utilisation of the services of Science Teachers and students for
constructive activities in villages. Under the programme the students from degree classes led by a Lecturer choose
and ADOPT a village near them. They will visit the village and acquaint themselves with the problems of the
villagers. They will plan how best they can utilise the knowledge acquired in the classroom, for bettering the lot of
the villagers. They will prepare a mini-plan extending over 3 years, for example, they can under take soil analysis,
water analysis, pest control of crops etc. In the regular curriculum practical training on subjects like soil analysis,
water analysis, blood testing etc., can be given.

History of Science
Science, as is generally thought of by us Indians, is something which was evolved in the west by the westerners. The
names of Galileo and Archemedes are well known to us, Kannada and Vachaspati are rarely beard of. And yet, the
truth is that the very foundations of science in all its different branches were laid by orientals, to which our ancestors
always contributed the lions share.
In the light of the manifold advancements in different sciences made by our forbears, and in keeping with the
present day revival of the spirit of nationalism, it is necessary that a proper and authoritative compilation of the
history of science and scientific activities in ancient India be made, either by the Government or by the Universities.
Such a history should be taught, side by side, with western histories, in our science classes particularly.
About History of Science in USA, Prof. Duane H.D. Roller of Oklahoma University, says :
There has been a very large increase in the number of History of Science courses being offered in
Institutions of Higher learning in the united States, and the number of Institutions offering such
courses has rapidly multiplied. Today some 70 colleges and universities in the United States offer
lectures in the History of Science. The appearance of such courses in educational institutions has
inturn produced a demand for Professors of the History of Science that has far outstripped the
supply. This demand, in its turn, has stimulated the development of programmes of education
directed at producing teachers of the History of Science. The doctor of philosophy degree for
students working in the History of Science is now being offered at a number of institutions,
including the University of Wisconsin, the University of California, Princeton University, Cornell
University, Yale University, Harvard University, Indiana University and the University of
Oklahoma.

Science Information Banks

Why did Guglielmo Marconi invent Radio, while his brother Albanso remained obscure? Both were raised in the
same family group and had many common early experiences. Yet one became a world-renowned inventor and the
other was known only because of his brothers fame. What made the difference? At some time or other the inventor
Marconi must have begun to see things differently from his brother. He must have been more curious or more
interested in things. His curiosity and enthusiasm may have developed out of some experience or from some book he
read. Enthusiasm is the most important single factor toward making a person creative.
To enthuse youngsters about the paramount importance of science, latest scientific books and journals should be
made available to them. Unfortunately most of our libraries in rural areas (at taluk level) contain nominal or nil
books and journals on science. Every person possesses creative thoughts. We must provide proper environment to
stem those inherent creative abilities. Science Information Banks can be set up in every district headquarters. 100
journals on science and technology can be made available in these banks. The central and different state
Governments can finance this project as a joint venture.

Visits by Officials and Non-Officials connected with Science and Technology to Rural Areas :
Often the heads of Scientific departments, Ministers concerned with these organizations confine their visits to cities
only. Thus the people even at taluk level feel that they are neglected by authorities. Mr.G.M.Coverdale of Macquaire
University in his monograph on Education and Rural Development with reference to developing countries, says,

Leadership can well account for the differences between the success and failure of any
community development project, and attempts to up-date farming methods, (in the broadest sense)
are no exception. Improbable though, under certain circumstances, this may sound, successful
socio-vocational courses have been run for local Councilors and village elders, and indirectly, the
results have been quite impressive. It is perhaps worth quoting an example of inspired leadership
at a higher level--infact, at the very top of the Political Ladder. There was an agricultural college.
This college was privileged to witness and participate in a very interesting innovation. The
President and his cabinet decided they would each learn how to drive a tractor and operate a
plough. On one afternoon each week, for a period of several weeks, they would leave their
numerous other duties and come out to the college, on a suit of overalls and spend atleast two
hours receiving individual instruction. They mostly became very proficient and appeared to
greatly enjoy the experience. The rationale behind what might at first appear as a some-what
bizarre exercise, was that, in the efforts to encourage rural reconstruction to the very limit, they
would visit a remote rural community, and instead of making a policy speech about the need to
up-date the agricultural industry they would jump on a tractor, strategically placed at their
disposal, and show the villagers what they should be doing, and how it should be done. This bold
approach, to my mind, optimises the spirit in which Education for Rural Development can best
be tackled. Half an hour of demonstration such as this might well be worth an archive full of
Government Memoranda and years of playing host of visiting EXPERTS.

Awards to Encourage Talent

Many a junior staff member in a University or Laboratory often complains of neglect and suppression. The scientists
must be given full academic freedom to voice their grievances. It is often the competition for the same post as the
head of an organization by two equals in the department that initiates jealousy and in-fighting. To avoid this, the
organizational head post, should be on a rotation basis so that each one aspiring can be satisfied.
Often the heads of departments are given awards and cash prizes for the achievements of an organization. Though
nobody is against this, the purpose will be better served to honour as many as possible, Juniors, for such
achievement to infuse confidence in them, to let them know that their services were recognized.
For the success of rural development schemes through scientists, it is clear that in the beginning many will want to
serve, unless some mechanism is provided by which evaluation of progress and rewards for success occur routinely
within the professional frame work of the scientists, I feel certain, their efforts ultimately will be dissipated. For
those who engage themselves in science popularization, annually awards can be given. This will definitely be a boon
for those in the field.

Popularisation of Science
In the local bazaar and in the village one can find many instances in which scientific principles are exemplified. The
principles of mechanics come into play whenever loads are moved, wood is split, water is drawn from the well.
Chemistry comes into play when the fire is lit and the food is cooked. The microbiology of the tank and the
microbiology of the fields is there. Materials science is involved in the operations of the blacksmith. Physical
Chemistry in the dying of cloth. These scientific principles must be properly illustrated through film to the villagers.
Just as we have Wildlife Week, National Library Week we can also celebrate a National Science and
Technology week on the birth day of an eminent scientist like late Sir C.V. Raman or Dr.H.J. Bhabha. Meetings,
seminars, symposia, film shows, distribution of pamphlets, radio programmes etc., can be used as means to educate
the masses. Organisations like CSIR, ICAR, DAE, Universities, Colleges, Schools and Voluntary organisations
connected with Science and Technology can participate in this week.

Recommendations
1.

The need of the hour is a comprehensive rural development policy aimed at raising the standards of living of the
country people through increased and diversified economic activity. This implies a greater allocation of
resources than is at the present case. Rural Development planning should comprise the establishment of rural
facilities, marketing and commercial services, rural industries, and health, education and social services.
Therefore, it is clear that the strategy of development must be an integrated concerted approach by all the
parties concerned. Education and training can only make its maximum contribution in an overall policy of this
kind.

2.

If rural reconstruction is to concern the development of the total village community then spheres of Ministry
interest are bound to over lap. Co-ordination is essential. Pettiness, Jealousy and stubbornness have rendered
many a worthwhile project stillborn. Curiously enough, this unnecessary wastage always seems worst in matters
concerned with training, perhaps because so few ministry officials have had direct experience in this field.

3.

In the final analysis, a key factor is the enterprise and fortitude of the rural teachers, trainers and extension
workers. If their efforts represent the weak link in the chain, no development programme, however wellconceived, is likely to become fully viable. It would be well worthwhile carrying out an investigation into the
status and role of these rural practitioners, so that everything reasonably possible can be done to raise and to
maintain their morale-ideally, to the point where they no longer yearned for the bright lights of the city, but
were able to apply themselves whole-heartedly to helping in the awakening of the countryside.

4.

It is important that those concerned with rural education preserve a sense of proportion instead of being torn
between the two Extremes of doubt and pessimism on the one hand, and nave optimism on the other.

5.

Science policies should be centered round the common man.

6.

Optimum utilisation of the rural resources with the wide manpower we had in rural areas.

7.

Involving students from universities and colleges in schemes which envisage transfer of their scientific
knowledge to the betterment of the villages.

8.

Inclusion of History of Science in India in regular curriculum of universities and colleges.

9.

Encouraging Junior officials by awarding medals as as token of the outstanding achievements they made.

10. Science popularization through the celebration of National Science and Technology Week every year
throughout the country. Establishment of Science Information Banks in districts.
Here it may not be out of place to recall the words of late Dr.E.F.Schumacher.
The great paradox of our age is that the Gandhian ideas were implemented not in India in Red
China. Not mass production but production by the masses, there is enough for everybodys need but
not for anybodys greed-all these ideas are Maoist but actually they come from Gandhi. They had
their first enunciation in India and implementation in China as far as I can see.
In summery, we often talk of Common Sense in our daily life. It should be replaced by Common Science. Our
motto should be Science to serve Society-Society to support science.

References
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Aafrica Survey, Chapter 16, Education for Rural Progress : FAO (1962)
Coombs, Philip H, The world Educational Crisis, Oxford University Press (London) (1968)
Malassis, L, Economic Development & The programming of Rural Education, UNESCO (1966)
Myrdal, Gunnar, The Challenge of World poverty, Penguin (London) (1970)
Duane, H.D. Roller, The History of Science, Forum Lecture, VOA.
Nayudamma, Y., Zakir Hussain Memorial Lecture, Science and Social Development, Aligarh, 29.09.1973.
Indira Gandhi, Inaugural address of 63rd session of Indian Science Congress Association, Waltair, 03.01.1976.
Coverdale, G.M., Education and Rural Development with Reference to Developing Countries, CAT reprint
1973

9.

Eric P Eckholm, Natural History, 84, 8, (1975)

(The above lecture was sent to leading Scientists and Scientific Organisations in the form of our societys
newsletter. It was widely appreciated at home and abroad. A few reactions are given below).

Reactions
.. I was absolutely fascinated by your paper, which, despite my lack of direct experience of the Third
World, seemed to say all the right things.

I feel sure that if your approach was adopted on a widespread scale that it would make a very valuable contribution
towards the solution of some apparently intractable problems. The key seems to be to use knowledge imaginatively
so that the potential resources can be harnessed to meet the needs of the people.
I wish you well in your work and I hope that any of our students who spend time working in the Third World will
have the ability to develop and propagate ideas like yours. I will certainly make sure some of our students become
familiar with your paper.
I enclose details of our course which I hope you will find to be of interest. I believe that our course would be very
worthwhile for students from your country but unfortunately most students from the Third World appear to be intent
on getting degrees in traditional disciplines. If you can direct any potential students to us, we would be delighted to
consider them and accept them if at all possible.
If you do get the opportunity to visit the U.K. I hope you can spend some time with us here in Bradford.
Dr.Verner Wheelock
School of Science & Society
University of Bradford, U.K.

.. I have since gone through the bulletin and I am happy to say that both the selection of items and the
manner in which they have been put across are very imaginative. The bulletin contains a lot of valuable information
which Pure Scientists, Social Scientists and Administrators could make valuable use of.
Please accept my hearty congratulations.
M.V. Rajagopal, Vice-Chancellor
Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University,
Hyderabad.
.. I have read your Newsletter. It is an interesting one and you have illustrated some of the points
which are of importance. I hope that you will also bring this note to the attention of the various other Universities in
India.
We already have a small group on Science Policy which deal with problems of science and society. I am passing on
your communication to Dr.B.V.Rangarao and it may be a good idea if you correspond with him.
Dr.B.D.Nag Chaudhuri,
Vice-Chancellor
Jawaharlal Nehru University,
New Delhi.
.. Please refer your circular letter enclosing your news letter. Prof. K.Satchidananda Murthy, ViceChancellor of this University has also received your copy and he has asked me also to acknowledge receipt of the
same. The Vice-Chancellor conveys his appreciation of your efforts in the propagation of science among the people.
I wish you every success in your efforts.
Prof. V.S.Rama Das, Vice-Principal
S.V.U.College of Science, Tirupati
.. Thank you very much for your letter and for the enclosed Newsletter. I was very impressed by what
you have said in the paper and by what you have done to encourage science talent. Congratulations.
GM John, For Regional Education
Adviser, South India
British High Commission, Madras.
.. I agree with the substance of the Newsletter in general and in particular with such views as, that the
science should help the rural people with their problems through indigenous ways and means; that its aim should be

to achieve self reliance and to enhance the dignity of man; that there should be mass scale afforestation; and that the
indigenous system of medicine and locally available herbs should be scientifically tested and widely popularised.
But I have no hopes from our existing educational and scientific organizations, since in effect they teach self seeking
and the means to achieve it. Self seeking and dedication do not go together. Rural India needs dedicated service.
Those who look to the luxuries that materialism may provide them cannot adopt the austere way of living.
So, then, our education must first teach them spiritual values and the virtues of simple living.
Basically, science is the quest for truth; and its first practical lesson should be to live in truth and knowledge. It is a
way of thinking and a way of living. It is not necessarily a device to exploit nature for material progress, which
generally, and wrongly, the applied sciences are taken for. It is certainly not so when it hurts the spirit and spoils the
beauty of nature. In this sense, we in India have since ages a proud tradition of best scientific thinking. The first and
foremost task before us is to trace our philosophic thoughts, bring them in their pristine glory, removing all the
superstitions from the minds of our people, and to infuse in its beautiful structure the knowledge of modern sciences.
And, therefore, the education system of my dream would make pupils strong in regional language, Sanskrit, English
and Mathematics; would cultivate in them appreciation for art and culture; teach them epics and basic thoughts of
Vedas, Upanishads and the Gita; and teach them, referring, as far as possible, to the original works of sciences from
Aristotle till the modern scientific works. The pupil thus would have mentally lived in the company of these great
thinkers, while physically being directly in touch with his times and society, sharing its aspirations, experiencing its
toils and admiring the grandeur of India, proud, selfless and determined. This would make about the revolution we
are thinking about possible.
Prof.N.C.Varshneya, Physics Department, University of
Roorkee, Roorkee, U.P.
.. I read your excellent piece in the SCIENCE TODAY and shall very much be pleased to know more
about your Society of Science for the People. Some time ago, we also thought to organise such a Society and in this
regard would very much appreciate if your kindly send me some relevant literature on your society and your
activities.
Prof.Dhirendra Sharma
Centre for Studies in Science Policy
Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
.. I hope your work is making good progress. Please do let us have the information about what all you
are doing. If it is possible for you to pay a visit to Wardha and spend some time with us we will be very happy. I had
been this week to Hyderabad and spent two days at the Regional Research Laboratory of CSIR and had very good
discussions with the various departmental heads, about the orientation in their programme of research as to benefit
the villages. I want that all institutions of technology should be assisted to move in the direction of the villages. Do
please keep in touch.
Devendra Kumar, Director
Centre of Science for Villages, WARDHA.
.. I first of all congratulate you for your, letter, Science and the Common Man which appeared in
Science Today (Page 7) June 1978 issue. Among other things, I came to know from that letter that you are a
member of the Society of Science for the People, that exists in India. I know about the Science for the People with
head-quarters at Boston (USA) and its British Counterpart "British Society for Social Responsibility in Science
(UK) and I had no idea of any such society in India.
I want to be a member of this society. But I do not know its head-quarters and the name of its office bearers. I would
appreciate it very much if you will provide me all such informations including the membership fee.
Dr.Manoranjan Kar, Department of Botany
Ravenshaw College, Cuttack
.. I am a student from the UK where I am studying Science and Society a course examining the
inter-relationships between science, technology and society. At present I am in India for one year as part of my
studies, for the present working with the village reconstruction organization (based in Guntur).

The topic of Science for the People is one which interests me considerably, thus I would be very interested to hear of
your work. I would also like to visit you sometime, if that can be arranged.
I believe that real development can only be achieved by a Grass roots peoples knowledge and use of Science and
Technology. I would be very interested to hear your views, and exchange ideas.
PAUL WILSON
.. I came to know about you and the work of your society through your letter in the SCIENCE
TODAY (June 1978). In fact I would like to start some work in my city and the surrounding villages of the type you
have talked in your letter.
You might be somewhat surprised to know about my educational background. I am an engineer and I passed last
year my electronics engineering. But after reading some books of the type Small is Beautiful, I have realized that
Electronics and all that goes with it is not so urgent and relevant to the nation as other works like cheap housing,
growing trees of economic utility in the villages etc. And as a result of my this change of attitude I have started
collecting information about appropriate technology and how to utilize it.
I would very much like to set up a society of the type you seem to be running. We are four brothers and all of us
share the similar kinds of ideas. So far as a beginning we four can start something. It will be very nice to hear from
you more about your society and your work so that I may benefit from your collective experience.
Naveen Mandhana, C/o B.L. Mandhana
District & Sessions Judge,
ALWAR 301 001, Rajasthan
.. We would like to inform you that Ministry of Agriculture & Irrigation, Government of India, has
assigned NID the job of designing and execution of their major four pavilions for AGRI-EXPO 1977 to be held
during November December 1977.
In this connection we would appreciate that if you could let us have a detailed report on the various Rural
Development activities specially your literacy programmes, survey of Flora and Fauna, soil fertility and other
analysis. We are interested in this information to incorporate the interesting aspects of Rural Development through
Science and Education done at various parts of the country as part of the Rural Development Pavillion in Agri-Expo
1977.
We request you to send us the objectives and the present status of the various projects undertaken by you as early as
possible to enable our designers to process and plan on this matter.
I.S.Mathur, Chairman Design Office
National Institute of Design,
Ahmedabad.
.. We are compiling a status report of present rural development programmes in the country for our
Rural Industrialisation Prospects and Potential study. We came to know that you had taken up a project entitled:
Science Education Programme and spread of Science in Rural Areas.

I shall appreciate if you can send us any report or monograph which you brought out about this project. In case, it is
priced publication, please send the bill with it for payment.
Dr. M.S.S. VARDHAN
General O.D. Manager
HMT, Bangalore.
.. I am happy to inform you that the Gujarat Vidyapeeth has undertaken a feasibility study project on
Rural Sciences and Technology. The objectives of this project are as follows :
i.

To study the strength and potentials we have in Gujarat to undertake programmes of rural reconstruction
using the basic sciences, education and intermediate technology,

ii.

to locate individuals and institutions which would like to collaborate and the areas of interaction,

iii.

to collect the know hoe available from similar motivated groups in India and abroad,

iv.

to prepare a blueprint of objectives, process and programmes of a new Rural Science and Technology Centre
(RSTC), proposed to be set up by the Gujarat Vidyapeeth.

I would very much like to include in our report the information about the very important work your group is doing. I
write this letter therefore, to urge you to send the following materials :
a)

A brief report of the work done at your place.

b)

The last annual report of your organisation.

c)

Brief description of the technologies used by your group for the rural development work.

d)

Any other information which you feel will be useful in our project work.

I shall also appreciate, if you could kindly send to us the addresses of other groups doing similar work in India and
abroad which we should contact.
With kind regards,
Dr.K.B.SHAH, Project Director
Rural Science & Technology Project
Gujarat Vidyapeeth, Amdavad 380 014.

.. I was happy to receive your letters of 9 and 10 June 1978, the latter enclosing a note on Utilisation
of Custard Apple Seed and Oil.
We are interested in the Society of Science for the People of which you are the convenor. Your motto Science to
Serve Society Society to support Science is very appropriate. I would be glad to have more details about your
Society and how you are promoting the application of Science for betterment of people. It is well known that
scientific research has brought lots of information to light; but how much of it is being used for small people /
obviously a small percentage. This is a task for people, educational institutions, scientific bodies, and the
Government to accomplish. Some governments in Asia are undertaking this task, but most of the Region does not
benefit from scientific research. In the Peoples Republic of China many programmes are being carried out,
especially in the rural sector, concerning Organic Recycling, and Utilisation of Science for the People. If your are
interested, I could send you some relevant information. As a first step, I am sending under separate cover a copy of a
recent FAO publication Soils Bulletin No.40 entitled Report on Study Tour to China on Organic Recycling.
I am bringing your letter to the attention of an FAO Senior Officer, Dr.H.A.B. Parpia, who is mainly involved in the
application of Science and Technology in the developing world. I am sure he has comments, suggestions / advice on
your proposals.
Regarding BAHUNIA for vacant lands, you may like to get in tough with the Indian Council of Agriculture
Research (ICAR), Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi, and obtain the latest information on the use of BAHUNIA.
Agave has been tried in many places for fibre extraction. The Forestry Department (Inspector General of Forests,
Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi), the Forest Research Institute, Dehra Dun, and the UNDP/FAO Pulp and Paper Project
(C/o 55, Lodi Estate, New Delhi) could provide you with more recent information.
Regarding the use of aquatic weeds such as Salvania Spp, they could represent as input in biogas plants,
generating methane, which can be used as kitchen fuel in rural homes. Many small farmers who do not have enough
cattle, and thus little cow dung, could use aquatic weeds, properly called Water Hyacinth has been done in the
Philippines. However, regarding its use in biogas plants, you may write to Mr.Ram Bux Singh, Gobar Gas Research
Station, Ajitmal, Etawah, U.P.
As to the use of gall bladder and other animal bye-products, we have in FAO a very knowledgeable and practical
Indian Scientist, Dr.S.K.Barat (Agricultural Services Division (AGS, FAO, Rome), to whom I am passing a copy of
your letter and of my reply, and with whom you could correspond.

Furthermore, in the same Division, an interesting and useful programme on Agricultural By-products and Waste
Products Utilisation is being carried out. This programme is co-ordinated by Mr.W.Barreveld (AGS,FAO,Rome), to
whom I am sending a copy of your letters and note on Utilisation of Custard Apple Seed and Oil, as well as my
reply to you.
I am also sending a copy of your letters and my reply to Dr.A.S.Alwan, FAO Representative in New Delhi, for his
information and any eventual future contact you may wish to have.
I would also recommend you pay a visit at the Central Scientific Research Institute and get in touch with the Deputy
Director, Dr.Bharat Bhushan, an experienced expert in Agricultural Waste Products and By-products Utilisation,
who has been an FAO consultant on this subject. I would suggest see him at an early mutually convenient, time, if
you have not already done so.
Regarding the promotion of information on all the above lines in other countries of Asia, and possible technical
cooperation among developing countries, this could follow once practical and economic studies justify viability. We
would be glad to hear from you, preferably through our FAO Representative in New Delhi, on whom you can call
next time you are in Delhi.
With kind regards,
Dr.M.L.DEWAN, Chief,
Regional Bureau for Asia and the
Far East, FAO,
ROME.
.. I have much pleasure in congratulating the author on the publication of this book. He fully
recognises the importance of adapting technology to the needs of the people. I assure that the contents of the book
will help many people to work effectively for a better existence. I hope that your memorial lecture is very successful
and that your book will be widely disseminated.
Dr.J.V.Wheelock,
School of Science & Society,
University of BRADFORD,
UK
.. You are prolific with your ideas as usual.
I have been myself talking about Rural Industry centered around each crop like chillies, cash crop like turmeric, etc.
But frankly I have no idea about the markets for the products that can be obtained out of Capsaicin. This is a
special variety of chillies. On the other hand ordinary chillies contain Vitamin C, bactericide and oleo-resins apart
from the hot component. I have been talking about such industries centered around chillies, based on the useful
components but I have no idea whether any such industry has been started anywhere. You may like to write to the
Indian Council of Agricultural Research, CFTRI and RRL, Jorhat.
Prof.Y.Nayudamma
Distinguished Scientist
CLRI, Madras.
EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, NEW DELHI
Dear Mr. Jagadeesh,
This is to acknowledge your Monograph on My Experiments in Science: With Special Reference to
Appropriate Technology sent to the Ambassador. I find the Monograph an interesting document containing useful
information. I have read with particular interest your lecture to the Central Leather Research Institute, Madras. I
agree with you that a thorough study of the rural environment is necessary before one can identify how best science
and technology could be applied for the benefit of the villager.
Sincerely,
Teresita C.Schaffer
Scientific & Technological Attache

INSTITUTING AWARD TO
ENCOURAGE APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY
There are many organisations working hard to bring science to the doors of those who need it. An award annually in
recognition of this work will be a boon to those in the field.

Reaction :
.. Yours of January 16 and the suggestion to institute an award in the name of Dr.Lohia. Thanking
you. I shall examine your suggestion.
With regards,
George Fernandes
Minister of Industry, New Delhi.

Science to Serve Society -- Society to Support Science