Page 1 - Scientifica Communica 15.08.2021

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Kolkata|August 15, 2021. Vol. 1, Issue 1
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A A Journey Begins Digital India:
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The First 75 Years
Seventy-five years ago, when India’s ‘tryst with destiny’ began average
Indians were clueless because they had no idea which way the nascent Devaprasanna digenous computer
nation would move. Will it again be a travel of travails or will it be one Sinha: In 1946, TIFRAC was in-
of aspiration and hope? For the new rulers problems were galore like ENIAC, the world’s stalled at Tata Insti-
multitude of millions, hunger, malnutrition, illiteracy, ignorance, utopias, first electronic gen- tute of Fundamental
misconceptions, dogmas, superstitions and so on. While economic eral purpose digital Research (TIFR) in
roadmaps were being planned, there was need for a specific science Seven computer was in- Bombay in 1956, and
policy to eradicate this myriad of issues. Minutes of stalled in USA and the first second-gen-
Unfortunately, it was not before 1958 when the first Prime Minister also the first mobile eration indigenous
Jawaharlal Nehru and the father of India’s nuclear programme Homi Je- Terror service. India got its computer ISIJU was
hangir Bhaba sat together to present the first national draft science pol- Prasanta K. Bose: independence on Au- installed in Calcutta
icy before Parliament. Both of them had stressed on “scientific temper.” It was not literally a gust 15, 1947. The in 1966. It is not pos-
Since then, much water has flown down the Ganges and how India now one-on-one, but digi- first computer in- sible to list down the
stands before the world with its scientific manpower and achievements is tally yes, courtesy the
an interesting chronicle. However, on introspection it is found that the American Center,
darkness still remains even seven and a half decades after Independence Chennai. Otherwise,
when ignorance can no longer be called bliss. who could have
But the 75th anniversary of the Independence is an important milestone in the imagined that Dr.
life of a nation, leave alone individuals or institutions. Everyone will like to cele- Swati Mohan would
brate it in their own way on this landmark. The history of the Indian Science News be chosen among the
Association (ISNA) set up at the initiative of doyens of modern Indian science, such powerfully influential
as Acharyya Prafulla Chandra Ray, Acharyya Jagadish Chandra Bose, Prof Satyen group of 4.8 m Indian
Bose, Dr. Meghnad Saha and others, is no less interesting. Apart from publishing Americans to inaugu-
the historic journal Science and Culture for the last 86 years, ISNA took up the onus rate their Digital
of training science communicators to spread over urban societies as well as rural Diplomacy Dialogue. Image source: ISI
areas to help eliminate this darkness as far as possible. Over more than three Does the name sound
decades, hundreds have graduated from the ISNA course to discharge their sworn. familiar? Dr. Mohan stalled in India was names and features of
responcibilities. hit the media head- HEC-2M in 1955 at all computers, or
It was probably not enough to fulfil the goals. A communication rev- lines all over world as Indian Statistical In- even to present a con-
olution was taking place in the meantime. Even a poor van driver now the supervisor of stitute (ISI), Calcutta. cise trajectory on the
possesses a smart phone. The brilliant youngsters, wanted to catch up NASA’s Jet Propul- Since then, different evolution of comput-
with these people to bring science closer to their doors. A confluence of makes of computers ers in India since
grey-haired and the greenhorns led to the germination of the idea to bring were installed at edu- 1947.
out e-Papers to keep pace with the changing times and trends but by not cational institutions, This brief note is an
discarding the hoary footsteps of the founding fathers. The decision was commercial organiza- attempt to provide a
unanimous that the first issue of Scientifica Communica would be tions and government glimpse of a few events
launched only on August 15 itself. The vernacular edition Bigyan Kahon departments. Prior to that may trigger the
would follow suit. The aim is science popularization and communication these, different makes readers to search for
in the simplest possible term and in the simplest possible way only D Dr. Swati Mohan n of calculators were more information avail-
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through the social media. bought and manufac- able online and offline.
Probably only time will tell whether SC or BK will be a trailblazer or sion Laboratory that tured and an analog Companies were formed
whether the progeny of the present batch of science communicators will landed the Persever- computer was also in the 70’s to initially
stand in unison with the same spirit when India will be a centurion. ance Rover on Mars built at ISI. The first provide data processing
George Bernard Shaw once said: Success does not consist in never mak- eight months ago.We first-generation in- >>>> 44
ing mistakes but in never making the same one a second time. The SC all felt proud as an In-
and BK trust the historic advice and will count on the blessings from dian and I did not
those for whom these are planned. want to miss the
*boseprasanta@hotmail.com opportunity to
arnab_jour@yahoo.co.in >>>>44
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TThhe NNorrth SStar Shiinnes

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Indian Science News Association (ISNA)
Sudhendu Mandal: Calcutta, (1784) for "Oriental research," the
being the capital of India from first Bengali magazine ‘Dig-
1772 to 1911, was somewhat priv- darsan’ published from Seram-
ileged in terms of education, de- pore (1818), the Hindu college
velopment of infrastructure, and (Presidency college) in 1817, the
many other aspects. The British Calcutta University in 1857, the
took many steps on education and Indian Museum in 1875, and the
entertainment in order to rule the leading English Newspaper ‘The
country effectively. These pio- Statesman’ (later incorporated
neering steps included the first with The Englishman) in 1875. Fi-
newspaper (The Bengal Gazette) nally, the first science research lab-
printed in Calcutta in 1780, the oratory of the country (Indian
first official newspaper (The Association for the Cultivation of
Calcutta Gazette) established 11sstt iissssuuee of SSciennccee aandd Cullttuuree, JJuunne 1193355 Science) was established in India

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in 1784, “The Asiatic Society” ( (Joouurrnnaal ooff ISNNAA)) >>>> 77
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