Visit to Mauritius

TAKE SCIENCE TO PEOPLE - Smt. Sonia Gandhi

Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Science Opened in Mauritius

Speech of Congress President, Smt. Sonia Gandhi at the inauguration of the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Science, Port Louis, Mauritius, on 30 th November, 2004

Your Excellency, Mr. Paul Raymond Berenger, Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius, and Mrs. Berenger

Hon'ble Mr. Louis Steven Obeegadoo, Minister of Education and Scientific Research, and Mrs. Obeegadoo, Hon'ble Dr. Navin Ramgoolam, Leader of Opposition, Hon'ble Ministers, Members of the National Assembly,

Prof Ameenah Gurib Fakim, Chairperson, Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre Trust Fund Board, Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Just over nine years ago, I came to your "great little country" as my mother-in- law Indira Gandhi was fond of describing Mauritius. I came to lay the foundation stone of this Centre which today stands as a noble edifice of learning and yet another enduring symbol of India-Mauritius friendship. I thank you with all sincerity for dedicating the Centre to honour the memory of my late husband, a gesture that has deeply touched me and my children, Rahul and Priyanka.

Our two nations have been linked by history, geography and culture. We are now being intertwined by trade and investment.

We are two nations that celebrate religious, linguistic and ethnic heterogeneity. Indeed, we are defined by our rich diversity. It is this celebration of diversity that is also the reason behind our intellectual vigour and creativity, which after all, is what science is about.

Both our nations take pride in having strong and resilient parliamentary traditions and institutions. The will of our people is supreme. Only six months ago, almost 400 million voted in India's last parliamentary elections and ushered in a momentous political change.

Mauritius and India can learn from and contribute much to each other. Together we radiate a message of hope for a world that stands divided by differences of religion, creed and colour.

We in India salute your achievements. And they are stunning, even more so considering the dire forecasts made. It was in 1961 that the Nobel Prize-winning economist James Meade wrote of Mauritius thus, and I quote: Heavy population pressure must inevitably reduce real income per head below what it might otherwise be. That surely is bad enough in a community that is full of potential conflict. But if in addition, in the absence of other remedies, it must lead either to unemployment or to even greater inequalities, the outlook for peaceful development is poor, Unquote.

Well, this must surely rank amongst the most famously wrong of all economic predictions over the past three decades, the world has witnessed the Mauritius Miracle _ of rapid economic growth combined with deepening social stability, of a poor country seeing high standards of living within a generation while preserving and protecting its heritage.

We in India too have proved all prophets of doom wrong. I recall that in the early sixties, a dark future of famine, deprivation and even balkanization was being predicted for India. But today, she stands tall, self-sufficient in foodgrains, a major agri-exporter and among the fastest growing economies in the world.

Traditionally, the four pillars of your country have been sugar, textiles, tourism and financial services. In recent years, a fifth pillar is emerging with the foundations of IT being laid by your government. I am personally very happy that a number of Indian companies are associated with this venture. India has taken great strides in IT, much of which is due to the vision of Rajiv Gandhi. He did not live to see his efforts yield results in such significant measure.

He would also have been glad at our accomplishments and at the partnerships that our two countries are forging in this crucial area. I see this Science Centre as being very much part of your drive for a place in the world of IT and knowledge-based industries. It is not a coincidence that not far from here is another symbol of India-Mauritius friendship, a new Cyber Tower that will also establish this island as a regional hub for IT-related services.

Rajiv Gandhi studied engineering and was a pilot. It is, therefore, but natural that he showed great sensitivity to and awareness of science and technology. But there was more to this than his formal training and education. His grandfather, Jawaharlal Nehru and our first Prime Minister, himself schooled in the natural sciences, was undoubtedly the architect of science and technology in India. For Jawaharlal Nehru, science was more than about inventions and innovations, it was more than about products and processes, it was more than about laboratories and institutes. The word he used frequently was "scientific temper". Not temper of the scientists but an attitude of mind in the general public! It was his constant refrain to cultivate a scientific temper especially among the youth. He personally established India's extensive infrastructure for science and technology that is now drawing global acclaim.

Rajiv's mother Indira Gandhi was also passionately wedded to the development and use of science and technology through which she spearheaded the green revolution that transformed our agriculture. Therefore, for Rajiv Gandhi, his over-arching emphasis on science and technology did not just have intellectual roots _ it arose, from his very inheritance. Scientific temper to Rajiv Gandhi meant the demystification and popularization of science. It meant the mass teaching of science in a manner so as to evoke the spirit of inquiry and questioning.

It meant empowering the layperson, especially women, to fully appreciate the value of the scientific method. It meant using the tools of science to break the stranglehold of outmoded belief and superstition. It was this belief that led him to promote the setting up of several science centers across our country.

This Rajiv Gandhi Centre, reflects these values and captures these sentiments. It is meant to take science to the people and kindle the spark of excitement for science and technology in young girls and boys. Like India, you are a country that prides itself on its traditions. Like India, you are preparing yourself for the 21 st century as it unfolds, a century in which countries with special skills and expertise in science and technology will have a decisive advantage.

As we move ahead, our common concern is to modernize and build a strong nation-state while preserving our pluralistic and composite cultural legacy. Our common objective is to exploit the opportunities that globalization provides us while ensuring that we protect ourselves adequately from its inherent risks.

Ladies and Gentlemen, our two countries are inseparably linked by destiny. We enjoy excellent relations. Our perceptions and positions on regional and international issues converge. There is a commonality of interests that is a source of strength to both of us. Our bilateral ties have and will continue to benefit both of us in substantial measure.

We look forward to the finalization of the comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement between our two countries. We also look forward to the launching of the World Hindi Secretariat here. Such endeavours reinforce our commitment to each other's development.

May I once again thank the government and the people of Mauritius for the warmth of their hospitality.

May I also once again express my gratitude to the government and people of Mauritius for honouring Rajiv Gandhi as a dynamic leader of India and as a fond friend and well-wisher of Mauritius. Mauritius is a small island, but with a big heart. I have no doubt that this Centre will grow into a respected institution not only in Mauritius but for this entire region. I am confident that it will soon emerge as another strong link in the many bonds of friendship that bind the people of our two countries together.

Jain Mauritius, Jai Hind