Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Engineers maligned

Sir, — P.V. Indiresan's article `Engineers maligned' (July 31) made interesting reading. As rightly pointed out, the activities of scientists and engineers in India have often been viewed with suspicion and contempt, causing damage to their self-esteem. To cite an example, three-fourths of the total power generated in France is nuclear, and the country is equally well-known for its scenic beauty and natural resources. The proponents of `Ramrajya' in India would prefer burning candles in the dark to lighting up their homes with nuclear power.

Kerala, which boasts of a high standard of living, depends on the rain gods for its power needs. Large sections of the lay public are ignorant of the services rendered by organisations like ISRO and DRDO to the nation. I have come across educated people who argue that the money invested in these organisations could be spent in poverty alleviation. With A.P.J. Abdul Kalam as President, one can hope that a culture of scientific and technological excellence will be instilled and fostered in the country, and people would treat the scientific community with greater respect.

Binod Sreenivasan,
Grenoble, France

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