Days of brain drain are over: Mashelkar

PUNE: Noted scientist and Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) director-general R.A. Mashelkar on Sunday observed that the days of brain drain were over and that we were witnessing brain circulation in an age that offered tremendous opportunity.
He was speaking at the 10th foundation day of the Non-Resident Indians'' Parents'' Organisation (NRIPO).NRIPO president Madhav Paranjpe was in the chair.
Addressing the gathering, Mashelkar stated that the new age has thrown open numerous opportunities. Now, it was not just a question of Indians travelling abroad, but "people from other countries have started coming to India," he remarked.
Mashelkar said that India''s future was bright, provided we changed our mindsets.
"India is a land of ideas hence we see global companies investing millions of dollars to set up a research and development base in India," he said.
India can gift its brain power to other countries. Mashelkar pointed out that NRI children were now coming back, since huge opportunities were opening up here.
"Bangalore alone had three-and-a-half times more research and development opportunities than any country in the world," he revealed.
He said that 2.5 per cent Indians had settled abroad, but their parents did not feel the distance because of the modern communication facilities that have reduced the world to a global village.
Mashelkar felt that the media needed to concentrate more on the achievements of Indians abroad rather than on regional news.
"Only then will we be able to create a different mindset," he remarked. As many as 450 NRI parents, some from Hyderabad, Gujarat, Mumbai and Thane, attended the function.
NRIPO has taken the initiative to set up a national federation of NRI parents to help solve common problems. NRIPO secretary Kumar Kiwalkar proposed the vote of thanks.