Chennai, August 02, 2017: In recent months, we have lost several of our distinguished scientists who had not only made individual contributions to science but have contributed enormously to capacity and infrastructure building in various areas of national importance. A few among them are, Dr Vinod Sharma, former Director of the Malaria Research Institute, Prof M G K Menon, Prof U R Rao, Dr B R Barwale, World Food Prize Laureate, Prof Yash Pal, former Chairman of the University Grants Commission, Prof A K Sharma, of the Calcutta University, and a very distinguished cytogeneticist and now Dr Pushpa M Bhargava, the architect of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad. All of them have made significant contributions to building science and scientific temper in our country in the post independence era.

To us in MSSRF, the loss is even greater since they had all played an important part in shaping the research priorities and policies of MSSRF. The best tribute we can pay them is to follow their example of mobilising science for human well being and spreading a scientific temper in our country.