HAVE YOU HEARD OF?
- Dr Joshi’s mantra on India: “India is original, India innovates, India is leader.”
- At 10 when most children grapple with burden of studies, Dr Joshi jumped into activism joining RSS, which was to later shape his political ideas and ideologies.
- Endowed with colossal energy and ebullience, Dr Joshi is among rare breed of politicians who have remained active in public life and politics for over six decades now
- Noted scientist Dr CV Raman, while delivering a lecture in Meerut College to young undergraduate students on Physics had said in 1949, “When you import something you not only pay for your ignorance but also for your incompetence.” It is this stinging realization that shaped a young Joshi’s mind and made him look inwards, oriented him to the significance of India and Indianness.
- As a Union Minister, he fondly says, he had the gift of God to serve people from womb to tomb. During his stint, he was in charge of Human Resource Development, Science and Technology and Ocean Development. HRD then included culture, youth and sports affairs, women and child welfare, elementary, secondary and higher education. His ministries had the highest budgets after Defence and he put them to good use.
- During his stint as HRD Minister, intakes in engineering and IT institutions more than trebled
- He helped start 17 national institutions on technology including 2 new IITs and 3 IIITs at Allahabad, Gwalior and Jabalpur.
- He also introduced the fundamental right to free and compulsory education to children in the age group 6 – 14
- He opened 8 new biotech institutions
- He introduced Simputer, which was a novel initiative to take technology to the masses and illiterates
- He donated two super computers to Russia
- He introduced Technology Day on May 13
- He also introduced several awards in Science & Technology
- Introduced 250 computer centres with Urdu language
- Worked tirelessly on promoting Sanskrit language
- Helped propagate nano technology
- Worked to establish synergy between industries, universities and scientific institutions. Many top industrialists were introduced in the management board of technical and management institutions
- Opened 100 new Kendriya Vidyalaya
- Established many space information centres in Uttarakhand
- Established observatory at highest peak at Henley at Ladakh
- Also served as Home Minister for 17 days in 1996
- Served as Member and chairman of first and second task force on science and technology, respectively
- Created two laboratories hubs of ocean developments in Goa
© Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi
