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    Easwara Subramanian said:

    Congratulations to Raja Choudhury whose documentary film Quantum Indians, narrating the life and science of India’s celebrated scientist triad Bose, Raman and Saha, has won India’s National Film Award as the best educational film of 2013. The documentary will indeed serve to inspire the young people of India to develop a keen interest in basic science as an essential and rewarding career path today.

    According to your report, Raja is now trying to make another science-based film called The Indian Mind that looks at the great inventions and ideas that India has given to the world — from the cotton of the Indus Valley, from the ‘Zero’ to the Bosons and the quest for Mars. This is in fact very essential in the modern science scenario – he who talks the loudest carries the day. It is amazing that C.V.Raman recognized this component of “reality” somehow intuitively in his time.

    India needs to bring her past contributions in science to the attention of the global community, especially the scientists who matter in the Western world. To borrow a phrase from your earlier blog, “In short, creating a buzz about about Indian work”. A case in point is that many Indians in ignorance refer to the present day numerals as “Arabic numerals” while the West refers to them as “Hindu-Arabic numerals”, but I understand that even the Arabs call them Hindu numerals!

    An important point that deserves emphasis in this context is that awareness of the work of Indian scientists also serves as inspirational role models for the younger generation. In that context, what is important is not to exclude Indians who went abroad and made outstanding contributions. I have in mind people like Har Gobind Khorana, and S. Chandrasekhar both of whom were awarded Nobel Prizes. We should not be jingoistic and say that we will recognize only Indians who worked in India. From an ethnic perspective, they were 100% Indians, nurtured in India and her cultural traditions during their formative years before plunging into their research career. It is the Indian Mind still. Closer to home, there is (was?) Professor G.N.Ramachandran with outstanding contributions in molecular biology. Documentaries on the life and science of these people will be so much inspirational.

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    K Jayadev said:

    It is very great hear about the National Award for The Quantum Indians. Such films are the need of the hour. At the outset I would like to mention that two years ago I made a film on the life and times of Prof CNR Rao and presently I am working on the biographical documentary on Dr MS Swaminathan. I am sure if they are exhibited in right places they will be inspirational films for young minds to take up basic science.

    I would like congratulate Raja Choudhary for winning the National award. Looking forward to getting chance to watch The Quantum Indians.

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    Chandan Kumar said:

    Congratulations to Raja Chaudhary and team for this well deserved recognition! I saw this film with great interest and was excited to share in social media and encouraged (forced?) my kids to see as well! Agree with the comments of Easwara Subramanian above that contributions of the Indian mind seeped in our particular ethnic cultural context should be showcased, irrespective of where on earth (or beyond) the culmination of these ideas happened. The Indian mind has always sought out universal cosmic principals beyond space time divides and in that sense fundamentally shares the scientific quest with the world.