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Major Achievements of Devendra Bhai & his Team of Young Scientists

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A team of Young Scientists, led and mentored by Devendra Bhai made groundbreaking contributions to science, rural development, and social innovation were. Some of its major contributions were as follows:

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• In May 1974, it founded the Society of Young Scientists at AIIMS, Delhi, fostering inter-disciplinary collaborations about Science & Society between young scientists of premier institutions like IIT, IARI, JNU, and Delhi University. This movement empowered young scientists across the country to work on real-world challenges beyond academia.

• in 1973, establishment of Vigyan Shiksha Kendra (VSK) at Banda, UP by a group member, Dr Bharatendu Prakash, a faculty from Allahabad University, where not only a school was started but also a Rural Technology Centre which did pioneering work on several rural technologies including manufacture of pozzolana cement from rice husk ash at a unit. VSK eventually surveyed artisanal technologies as well as water resources of Bundelkhand.

• One of its landmark contributions was motivating Dr M S Swaminathan to introduce a Focal Theme on Science & Technology for Integrated Rural Development at the Indian Science Congress in 1976, with support of Mrs Indira Gandhi, giving direction to this National Body of Scientists and shaping policy discussions on Rural Development at the national level.

• In 1976, its efforts led to publication of Science for Villages, a magazine that shared scientific advancements, particularly in the area of Rural Technologies and Holistic, Sustainable & Integrated Rural Development not only with S &T institutions globally but also with rural communities.

• It organized an International Conference on Appropriate Technology at Sewagram in 1979, which was attended by top scientists and thinkers of India and the World, besides two Conferences on Artisans with DST and CSIR in 1979 and 1981, respectively.

• The team played a crucial role in promoting artisanship and reviving rural industries through Karigar Panchayats in the 1980s, besides organizing Rashtriya Karigar Panchayat Manthan in April 1999 at Rajghat, Delhi which was Devendra Bhai’s last Public Program. It organized and mobilized traditional artisans, advocating for policies that promoted their skills, provided financial support for sustainable livelihoods. Its team under the leadership of Vinoo Kale helped develop innovative bamboo products and promoted bamboo-based rural enterprises and influenced policies regarding access of this forest resource for artisans.

• It mobilized the Department of Science and Technology of the GOI to start its First project on Science and Technology for villages at Magan Sangrahalya, Wardha in 1979 which also resulted in the formation of a group on Science & Society at DST in 1980 to pave the way for active interaction of its members with several Secretaries and other senior officers of DST for more than two decades on policy issues. It was also responsible for establishment of a Centre of Rural Development & Appropriate Technology (CRDT) at IIT, Delhi in 1980 and initiation of several R&D programs on appropriate rural technologies.

• It was instrumental in the national level mobilization of Scientists as well as Development Catalysts from various disciplines for organizing a National Symposium on Management of Indian Science for Development & Self Reliance by Society of Young Scientists in Feb. 1980 and publication of its proceedings in 1983.

• Its contributions motivated Sri P N Haksar, former Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission and one of the key persons involved in drafting of the Scientific & Industrial Development Policies of the country since the tenure of Pandit Nehru as Prime-Minister to help and support them visit a large number of institutions across the country to follow up the outcomes of the above symposium across the country (1980 onwards).

• In recognition of its contributions, a Working Group on the Role of Young Scientists was constituted in 1980 at the Planning Commission, GOI with Dr. Narendra Mehrotra of AIIMS Delhi as its Convenor and Prof. B D Tilak, Director of NCL, Pune as its President, resulting in a chapter on this theme in the 6th Plan Document of the GOI in 1981 which was responsible for initiating a series of schemes and programs to help involvement of Young Scientists in various departments across the country.

• Its team members led by Sri Anil Agarwal played a key role in founding the Centre for Science & Environment (CSE) at Delhi in 1981 and initiating action and strategy for preparation of the 1st State of India’s Environment Report by CSE.

• Its team led by Sri Vinoo Kale established Hindustan Laghu Cement in 1980 at Chandrapur with support from National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) and later establishment of Aproop Nirman at Nagpur in 1987.

• Establishment of the Academy of Young Scientists in 1983 which initiated many policy level dialogues and field level projects.

• It played active role in the organization of various programs of Bharat Gyan Vigyan Jatha in 1983 as well as Bhartiya Jan Gyan Vigyan Jatha (BJGVJ) Manthan etc. in 1992, besides publishing the book, ‘Build your House to the Rhythm of Life’ by Vinoo Kale.

• A comprehensive volume on Bamboo, Venu Bharati, was also written by Vinoo Kaley with a Foreword from Devendra Bhai and published in 2002, after the demise of both of the above, with support from CAPART, GOI.

• In the energy sector, its team led by Ajay Kumar set up the first successful demonstration of bullock-powered electricity generation (1986) and India’s first rural renewable energy system (1986) to meet the energy needs of a village, besides influencing the policies for renewable energy at national level.

• A team of the Group studied the Bhopal Gas Tragedy (1984) at site and promoted studies which helped shape medical policies for victims, ensuring long-term health interventions.

• It conceived, wrote and published two innovative Booklets, Mridgandha and Krantigandha, on the architecture of the Sevagram Kuti of Bapu and a revolutionary dialogue on his thoughts between various sections of the society at different time-frames, with support from Housing & Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO)-1987.

• Under leadership of Vibha Gupta, a report was prepared in 1989, on Science and Technology for Women, which was sponsored by DST.

• It set-up an Institute of Science Technology and Development to groom “Science & Technology Missionaries” so as to compliment S & T missions in 1994, besides actively involving with United Way of Baroda, a common platform for capacity building, funding etc. for 100 NGOs of Baroda City.

• Under leadership of Ajay Kumar, it organized a workshop on Computers and Electronics for Rural Development on behest of the Department of Electronics at the initiative of its Secretary, Mr. N. Vittal and initiated several programs on computerization of Charity Commissioners’ offices in Mumbai, Baroda and Ahmedabad 1994 under NIC, besides computerization of 20 District Courts in Gujarat in 1995 under Gujarat High Court. Ajay Kumar was later made a Member of the Working Group setup by PMO on Computerization of Government in 2008.

• It played an active role in the formation of Lok Swasthya Parampara Samvardhan Samithy (LSPSS) at Coimbatore in 1986 and creation of its Northern Regional Centre at Lucknow, in 1988 which conducted a series of programs on promotion of Local Health Traditions (LHTs) and Indian Systems of Medicine & Homoeopathy (ISM&H) including organization of an All-India Coordinated Project of CAPART on promotion of LHTs (1988-92), besides a ‘Workshop on Traditional Medicine and Immunology’ at Ahmedabad with Gujarat Ayurved University, in September 1988 and publication of its Background Material, which was held under the auspices of Technology Mission office of the then PM.

• Its team established Jeevaniya Society at Lucknow in 1991 to work on Holistic Health, publication of its bimonthly magazine ‘Jeevaniya’, both in Hindi & English, besides a large number of Reports, Posters, Books, Booklets and other IEC Material. It conducted a survey of the largest ever reported epidemic of Jaundice in the world with SGPGI and CDRI Lucknow, with voluntary initiative and support of some corporates and identification of the virus responsible for the same in collaboration with NII, Delhi. Its findings were published in some of the most prestigious medical journals of the world, ‘The Lancet’ and ‘Bulletin of the World Health Organization’ and discussing the issues involved at a ‘National Convention on Management of Jaundice’ in Sept. 1991.

• Jeevaniya Society organized an International Conference on Ayurveda-Modern Medicine Interface’ in Feb., 1997 besides a large number of Seminars, Conferences and Training workshops on Indian Systems of Medicine in collaboration with several Govt. as well as Non-governmental Organizations and promoted organic cultivation of conventional crops as well as on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, their processing, value addition & marketing, besides preparing & presenting the Road Maps for Development of the Herbal Sector for several States & KVIC to the concerned officials (1989-2022).

• It also played a key role in Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (2014), inspiring academic institutions to adopt villages for integrated development.

• It played a key role in the formation of Mission Samriddhi, a Chennai based corporate initiative (2016 onwards and even before its formal launching) and continues to guide its large-scale rural transformation programs across India.

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Devendra Bhai’s holistic and people-centric approach to science and development continues to inspire individuals and institutions, leaving an indelible mark on India’s socio-economic landscape.