You are not doing enough: Tata to IISc

Mathang Seshagiri TNN

Bangalore: It was a rude wake-up call to the prestigious 101-year-old Indian Institute of Science when chairman of Tata Sons Ratan Tata told it that it was not doing enough. He said the institute had not changed as much as one would like to see and it should contribute to a new way of life in India —and not just file major number of patents compared to what it did before.

Tata, who is the president of the IISc Court, the topmost decisionmaking body, has said that the institute is not doing enough research of greater global relevance. “If I look back on what I have been trying to say in a very polite and in a very careful manner, it has been my perception that this institute, which is a great institute....has not perhaps changed as much as one would like to see. ...I have mentioned that we should perhaps be looking at greater change, research of greater global relevance and I have used my words carefully,” Tata told candidly at this year’s Court meeting. His message will be “reported” in writing to IISc Council headed by Planning Commission member K Kasturirangan at a meeting on Saturday. “I urge that all of us work together to make this possible in its true form where this institute not only files major number of patents compared to what it did before, not only pursues technical excitement or scientific excitement, but actually contributes to a new way of life both in India and elsewhere,” Tata said.

Tata told his colleagues: “But we should ask ourselves, as any good institute, as any good corporate or any good agency should — are we doing enough, are we relevant enough, can we do better. The greatest danger we have or anyone has in any congregation is to say that we are at the pinnacle of where we can be and we can do no better.

Ratan Tata| CHAIRMAN, TATA SONS