Skip to main content

Singing a different tune? Kerala science meet to end on now aborted Cow Hug Day

By Rosamma Thomas 

The 35th Kerala Science Congress has begun in Idukki district, where the Mar Baselios Christian College of Engineering is the venue for this year. Co-hosts are the Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment and the Kerala Forest Research Institute. 
The event began on February 10 and concludes on February 14, which the Government had declared Cow Hug Day -- only to withdraw it late on Friday following all-round ridicule.
The schedule of the event runs into 40 pages and lists a whole range of papers that will be presented – among them ‘Recent landslides in Kerala –an ecological perspective’, ‘Investigations on the solar flare induced effects on Mars’ ionosphere using Maven observations’ and ‘Mathematical ideas behind Covid modeling and human welfare’.
The state government has already put out a compendium for the event, which includes abstracts of all papers that will be presented – that compendium is nearly 400 pages long. Agriculture, biotechnology, chemical sciences, earth and planetary sciences, engineering and technology, mathematics, nanotechnology, and environmental and health sciences are all represented with several papers in each of these areas. This reporter has not yet browsed the compendium with care, and intends to attend at least one day of the events to get a taste of what is being served at the Science Congress.
It seems, though, too crowded an event, with too broad a range of subjects covered – the ordinary generalist, a student of literature, music or philosophy, may be quite lost at an event of this nature, one guesses. The state government conducts an annual press conference in September to announce this event each year, but little else occurs to publicize the event.
It is a relief, though, that while the Union government encourages Indians to hug cows, at least one state government had decided to sing a different tune.

Comments

TRENDING

Gharapuri's discoveries: India finds a maritime past, ASI an app

By Gajanan Khergamker  The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has once again demonstrated an extraordinary talent for mistaking administrative housekeeping for institutional achievement. At the very moment excavations at Gharapuri are yielding evidence that could fundamentally reshape our understanding of India's maritime past, the institution has chosen to celebrate the rollout of QR-enabled audio guides and GPS-supported navigation at its monuments. The contrast could not be starker. 

Bihar’s land at ₹1 per acre for Adani sparks outrage, NAPM calls it crony capitalism

By A Representative   The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) has strongly condemned the Bihar government’s decision to lease 1,050 acres of land in Pirpainti, Bhagalpur district, to Adani Power for a 2,400 MW coal-based thermal power project. 

What's behind Columbia's president-elect speaking out against continuing the country’s peace agenda

By Laura Violeta Devia López  There are just over three weeks left before Abelardo De La Espriella takes office as Colombia’s new president, despite the numerous allegations that cast a shadow over his election and, as usual, discredit the Colombian electoral system. The announcements already being made by Abelardo and his designated cabinet mark a significant change of course, not only for the Colombian people but also for the country’s place in the world.