About the lecture: Experts across fields today feel like they are in a bus speeding downhill with failing brakes. In India, this is an everyday reality, where risks and uncertainties disrupt careful planning and policy execution. Yet, it is crucial to assess how India has shaped its policy and decision-making tools since independence. My talk will explore India’s science and technology journey, its role in shaping societies and tech giants, and what the future holds. By 2050, will we reach a stable, peaceful landscape, or will the bus keep careening forward?

About the Speaker: VijayRaghavan is Homi Bhabha Chair at the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR). From April 2018 to April 2022, he served as the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India. Before that, from 2013 to 2018, he was Secretary to the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India. 

As Secretary to the Government of India and later as principal scientific adviser, VijayRaghavan was involved in science, technology, and innovation in all sectors at the national and international levels. He continues his interests and involvement in this ecosystem and research in his laboratory.