Ahmedabad: Science impacts life. The Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi wants to make Science & Technology driving engine for a rapid progress of the country. Over the last one week he reiterated this commitment through various pronouncements and acts. On 3rd January 2017, he addressed the Indian Science Congress at the holy city of Tirupathi and called upon scientists to work for progress of the country through science.

Shri Narendra Modi followed up this speech with a meeting of Secretariesto the Government of India, the same evening back in Delhi, to discuss issues of developing Transport and Communications in the country through adoption of Science. The next day he called a similar meeting of Secretaries of Science and Technology, Energy and Environment. In all these it was a focused discussion at the highest level for development through adoption of Science.

Tomorrow the Prime Minister will meet several Nobel laureates and have discussions with them with development of country in his mind through Science & Technology. This meeting is to be held at the Science City in Ahmedabad where the Nobel Media is holding the first Nobel Prize Series in India in conjunction with the biennial summit of Vibrant Gujarat being held by the Government of Gujarat from tomorrow.

A Memorandum of Understanding had been signed last year by Nobel Media and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India for hosting Nobel Prize Series in India for the next five years.

Nobel Prize Series is a unique programme combining a conference, lectures, roundtables, and exhibitions. By bringing together Nobel Laureates, other experts and lifelong learners the programme aims to stimulate innovation and creative thinking.

After this agreement a trilateral Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Department of Biotechnology of Government of India, the Government of Gujarat and the Nobel Media. Accordingly the first of the Nobel Prize Series, India 2017 is being held as a prelude to Vibrant Gujarat to demonstrate how science and discovery underpins all enterprise and human well-being with the underpinning theme of Science Impacts Lives

Beside the conference and meeting events, such as lectures, roundtables and other activities in Gandhinagar, Delhi and Bangalore, Nobel Prize Series, India 2017 will feature a 5-week long Science Exhibition being set up by the Nobel Foundation, with exhibits from the Nobel Museum, Stockholm, Sweden. This will be held at the Science City Ahmedabad. The lectures in Delhi and Bengaluru are to be held on 12th & 13th of this month.

The Nobel Prize Series, India 2017 at Vibrant Gujarat will start on January 9, 2017 with the formal inauguration of the Nobel Prize Series Science Exhibition by Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi. This will be followed by an interaction of the Prime Minister with various Nobel Laureates who are visiting India to participate in this conference cum exhibition.

Nine Nobel Laureates including Dr. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, Nobel Prize Laureate in Chemistry, Dr. Richard Roberts, Nobel Prize Laureate in Physiology or Medicine, Dr. Harold Varmus, Nobel Prize Laureate in Physiology or Medicine, Dr. Randy Schekman,Nobel Prize Laureate in Physiology or Medicine, David Gross, Nobel Prize Laureate in Physics, Dr. Ada Yonath, Nobel Prize Laureate in Chemistry, Dr. Serge Haroche, Nobel Prize Laureate in Physics, Dr. William E Moerner,n Nobel Prize Laureate in Chemistry have confirmed their participation. Hon’ble Minister of S&T and ES Dr. Harsha Vardhan will be present at the event.

On the January 10, there will be panel discussions with the Laureates to be streamed live across the country and the world. In the afternoon, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the CEOs conclave which will be attended by the Nobel Laureates

PIB