APJ Abdul Kalam Speaks

One of the finest scientists India ever produced – APJ Abdul Kalam urges Indian scientists to become pioneers in innovation and technology in his recent speech at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. He categorically stressed that India’s present growth has been achieved based on patents generated elsewhere sometime ago as well as innovations and technology developed elsewhere. He also emphasized the need for green energy (read here). PatentCircle whole-heartedly welcomes and appreciates Dr. Kalam views, at least there are people in India who do understand the value of innovation and need to move on from copying to research. We are not sure for how long our country will afford to stay in shades of copying when other Asian countries (China, Taiwan and Korea) aggressively continue to foster in innovation and technology and back here in our country, we continue to discuss the same age old issues of religion, reservation, caste, poverty and corruption. In India, we have objections regarding patents in pharmaceuticals and software because of the vested business interests of Indian companies associated with blatant copying of drugs and software but when it comes to patents in green energy, nanotechnology and stem cell development we have no issues because we have no vested business interests (and possibly no expertise and know-how) as of now to copy them. It is quite unfortunate that despite we have so much potential and caliber to fuel innovation and technology development in India but because of our government ill policies and governance we are contributing far below to our par. India has tremendous potential to become IP and innovation capital of the world but thanks to our copying business industry that we are not able to match our own potential even after 60 years of independence.