Awareness about science is growing

Lucknow has been known in history for its music beauty in motion and poetry in life. Its composite culture is a unique mix of Indian and Mughal traditions, architecture and life style. It has also been a centre of Urdu poetry, Hindi literature and kathak dance. The ruins of the erstwhile Residency a great monument of India’s war for independence in 1857, and the heroic deeds of Begum Hazrat Mahal are among the evidences of the city’s glorious past. Lucknow is also known as the city of gardens.
Besides its rich cultrural scene,lucknow is rapidly becoming a site of science culture. About 10 national research institutes institute engineering and technology, Ayurvedic college, unani and homoeopathic colleges, the university medical college and other scientific institutions have put the city on the global scientific map Mention must also be made in this regard of the emergence of biomedical research activities through a large number of laboratories of international repute. Thus lucknow is now not only the chief nerve centre for cultural and political activities but also of scientific study and research.
Lucknow university is the centre for research activities in all disciplines of science, in basic applied and biomedical aspects Birbal sahni Institute of palaeobotany is the pioneering research establishment for study of fossils all over the world. The king George’s Medical college (KGMC) has age old traditions in medical education and research. The centres of biomedical research in KGMC has received a boost with the opening of sanjay Gandhi post graduate institute of Medical research with talented staff and latest equipments.
Lucknow has some full fledged laboratories under the council for scientific and Industrial research (CSIR). The central Drug research Institute (CDRI) housed in and around the historic chatter Manzil palace was inaugurated by Pt. Nehru in 1951. It has been in the fore-front of drug research with several divisions.
The National Botanical research Institute (formerly National Botanical garden) is the leading institution dealing with various aspects of basic and applied plant sciences Besides developing experimental plant sciences it has also succeeded in identifying environmental pollutants, sensitive plant species and encouraging plantation of such species useful as filters of environmental pollutants . The central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic plants (CIMAP) is actively engaged in the development of know how for optimum exploitation of natural resources for herbal drugs and aromatics. The industrial Toxicology research centre (ITRC) with its prestigious national missions and high quality research output has put the country on the world map in environmental research .
Besides these, CSIR has a sophisticated central instrumentation and Maintenance facility a regional centre of central food technology research Institute (CFTRI) and a polytechnology transfer centre.
The Indian council of Agricultural research (ICAR) also has two well equipped laboratories in lucknow. These are the Indian Institute for sugarcane research(IISR) and central Institute for Horticulture in Northern plains incorporating the mango research station.
The establishment of the regional science centre has also helped in spreading awareness about science in the city .
These reputed research institutions served as a forum for frequent scientific interactions at local national and international levels fostering science and scientific spirit for humanity. Hence, with the emergence of scientific temperament in society thew science based culture is developing fast in our city.
(The Times of India, Lucknow, July 1,1990)