In a notable recognition of India's achievements, Atta-ur-Rahman, the former Science Minister of Pakistan, praised India's remarkable accomplishments, including its historic Chandrayaan 3 mission and a range of other initiatives. India etched its name in history by successfully executing the landing of its Vikram and Pragyan lander and rover on the moon's enigmatic south polar region on August 23, 2023
Atta-ur-Rahman earned his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Cambridge University in 1968. He boasts an impressive academic record with over 843 publications in various organic chemistry fields, including 663 research papers, 18 patents, 103 books, and 59 chapters in major U.S. and European publications. Rahman holds the distinction of being the first scientist from the Muslim world to win the prestigious UNESCO Science Prize in 1999. Currently, he serves as the Coordinator General of COMSTECH, overseeing 57 Ministers of Science & Technology from OIC member countries
According to the Atta-ur-Rahman, India's successful mission has placed the country into an exclusive group of spacefaring nations, joining the ranks of China, Russia, and the United States, underscoring its ever-expanding prowess in the realm of space exploration
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Notably, despite the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) budget being limited to $1.5 billion in the previous year, India's private space sector had already reached a substantial $6 billion, with forecasts anticipating its growth to a staggering $25 billion by 2025
While writing an opinion piece in the Pakistan's The News, Prof. Atta-ur-Rahman lauded India's deep-rooted tradition of assigning paramount importance to education, science, technology, and innovation, harkening back to the days of Jawahar lal Nehru. Apart from India’s history and traditions, Rahman also praised several schemes and initiatives that helped India to propel in the world of technology and innovations
Rahman highlighted that India's transformative "Right to Education Act" had been instrumental, guaranteeing free and mandatory education for children aged six to fourteen, while systematically dismantling barriers that hindered access to education
Rahman said that the "Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan" (SSA) initiative played a pivotal role in universalising elementary education and elevating its quality. It recognised education as an inherent right and a potent agent of social and economic transformation
Rahman emphasised that India's successful "Midday Meal Scheme" represented a unique initiative that combined education and nutrition. This program not only addressed malnutrition but also notably increased school attendance, particularly among children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds
Rahman noted that India's "National Policy on Education" (NPE) of 1968 emerged as a critical turning point in the country's educational landscape. It laid the foundation for modernising education, with a strong emphasis on science and technology education
The "Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan" (RMSA) initiative is aimed at enhancing the quality of secondary education in India. It focused on improving infrastructure in government schools, including classrooms, science laboratories, libraries, and separate facilities for boys and girls. The recruitment and training of teachers for secondary schools were also prioritised
Rahman while praising the current Government of India said that their ambitious "Digital India Initiative," launched in 2015, harnessed technology's power to revolutionise education. The initiative expanded digital infrastructure, promoted digital literacy, and facilitated access to online educational resources. These measures greatly enhanced accessibility to education, particularly in remote and underserved regions
Rahman concluded by highlighting that India proactively fostered innovation, research, and collaboration with industry through institutions like the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). These entities played pivotal roles in driving scientific research, technological innovation, and India's transformation into a knowledge-driven economy