Governor Arlekar calls for adopting a scientific lifestyle rooted in India’s own traditions at 32nd Swadeshi Science Congress

Kozhikode: Governor Rajendra Arlekar on Wednesday called for adopting a scientific lifestyle rooted in India's own traditions, adding that blindly following Western models cannot offer solutions to contemporary societal challenges.He was delivering the inaugural address at the 32nd Swadeshi Science Congress and the national seminar on ‘Transformative Science and Technology Education for Viksit Bharat', jointly organised by Central University of Kerala (CUK) and the Swadeshi Science Movement–Kerala at Periya Campus. Emphasising that a scientific lifestyle is the need of the hour, Arlekar said India practised a balanced way of life that nurtured both body and mind, contributing to good health and longevity. Many present-day problems, including the rise in lifestyle diseases, stem from abandoning this scientific approach to living, particularly due to changes in food habits, he noted. Reviving indigenous practices, rather than imitating foreign lifestyles, is essential for sustainable societal well-being, he added. Siddu P Algur, vice-chancellor of CUK, presided over the function. He said universities must nurture among youth not only technical competence but also a deep sense of service, social responsibility and national commitment. Swadeshi Science Congress, he said, underscores the importance of integrating Indian knowledge systems with modern science and technology to meet emerging challenges and advance towards a developed India. Arlekar presented Swadeshi Sastra Puraskar to Chandrabhas Narayana, former director of Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology and T M Balakrishnan Nair, director of Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services. Swadeshi Puraskar was awarded to VPN Nampoori, former professor of Cochin University of Science and Technology. Research project awards were also conferred on faculty members of CUK in recognition of their multidisciplinary projects with significant social impact.