Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Brain drain

Sir, — The Prime Minister's remarks that "India helped produce the best brains but they had chosen to invest their intellect outside the country" (Jan. 7) repeats similar statements by some of our political leaders. Most of the best brains are in India and getting frustrated while those who are adventurous are leaving the country. The U.S. has developed a system to attract the world's best scientists and engineers and ways to get best contributions from them. We need to develop such a system in India rather than bemoaning the flight of talent.

M.R. Raju,
Bhimavaram, A.P.

Sir, — The Prime Minister rightly pointed out that brain drain was one of the obstacles to the growth of the nation's research and development effort. Students from the IITs and the IIMs, after getting the best facilities at affordable fees, are not repaying their dues to society. The Government should use them for the development of the nation.

A new trend seen is the craze among students to join the IIMs. Even students who have passed from the IITs or from other engineering colleges are ready to enter the commerce/marketing field leaving their scientific background. This brain drain must be prevented.

N. Ganapathy,
Thiruvananthapuram

Sir, — At the 90th Science Congress, the Prime Minister made a plea to the expatriate scientists to return home and take part in the reconstruction of the nation. The intellectuals have been migrating to the West not because of the glittering life there but because the working conditions here are so abominable. Still, they always long to come back and serve the nation. In this context it is worthwhile recalling what Dr. Chandrasekar, the Nobel winning India-born American astrophysicist, is reported to have said a few days before he passed away: That he would have been much happier had he contributed even one-tenth of what he did remaining in India. The great sons of the soil will come back home provided the Government gives up its policy of encouraging mediocrity in the name of affirmative action.

V.V.S. Mani,
Mumbai

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