The National Science Day was celebrated all over the country on 28 February 2004 to mark the discovery of Raman Effect by the great Indian scientist Sir CV Raman in 1928. All DRDO labs/estts organised various programmes related to science in their respective labs/estts in which one scientist from each lab/estt delivered a talk on the thrust area and was presented a medal and certificate by the Director of the respective lab/estt on behalf of the SA to RM.

In a function organised by the Defence Science Forum at the Laser Science & Technology Centre (LASTEC) Auditorium, Delhi, under the chairmanship of Dr VK Aatre, DRDO Hqrs and Delhi-based DRDO labs/estts also celebrated the National Science Day. Dr D Balasubramanian, Director, LV Prasad Eye Hospital, Hyderabad was the invited speaker who spoke on Decoding Human Genome: What we have learnt. A science quiz and poster making competition was also organised for Delhi based DRDO labs/estts.

Some of the highlights of the National Science Day Celebrations at the other DRDO labs/estts are given below:

ARDE, Pune
Shri Virendra Singh, Sci B, delivered the Science Day Oration on PZT based Sensors and Actuators for Defence and Civil Applications. Prof Rajaram Nityananda, Centre Director, National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) was the Chief Guest who delivered a talk on Radio Astronomy– Fifty Years of Discovery.

CAIR, Bangalore
Dr Dipti Deodhare, Sci E, delivered the Oration on Engineering AI Solutions through Neuroscience.


Dr AR Upadhya, Sci G, Associate Programme Director (LCA-Navy) and Capt CD Balaji, Aeronautical Development Agency, Bangalore delivered the invited lecture on Naval Aviation-Historical Perspective.

Shri Kishora Shetty, Sci B, presented the Oration on Development of Fe-Mn-Cr-Ni-Si Shape Memory Stainless Steel with Rare Earth Elements La & Ce Additions which was co-authored by Dr A Venugopal Reddy, Regional Director, RCMA (Materials).

CVRDE, Avadi
Shri G Kannan, Sci F, delivered a lecture entitled, Effective R&D through Computer Networking. An oratorical competition entitled, CVRDE in My Dreams was conducted in English and Tamil.

DEBEL, Bangalore
Dr TR Raju, Professor and Head, Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore delivered an invited talk on Brain Stimulation and Neuronal Plasticity. The Science Day Oration on Software Engineering–An Essential Approach to Quality Assurance was delivered by Shri SG Guruprasad, Sci D.

DESIDOC, Delhi>
Shri B Nityanand, Sci C, delivered the Science Day Oration on Digital Publishing–Challenges for the Future.

DIPAS, Delhi
Dr OP Tandon, Principal and Head, Department of Physiology, UCMS, University of Delhi and GTB Hospital, Delhi was the Chief Guest. He delivered the guest lecture on Brain Potentials–Application in Environmental and Forensic Sciences. Dr Soma Sarker, Sci E , delivered the Science Day Oration on Molecular Responses to Environmental Stress.

DMRL, Hyderabad
Dr Balachandran, Sci E, delivered the Oration on Practical Approaches to Materials Synthesis.

DRDL, Hyderabad
Shri K S Vara Prasad, Sci E, was presented the Science Day Oration Award for his excellent contribution to the Design and Development of Helicopter Mounted Telemetry System. Shri KSR Murthy, Sci G, Director, CCRS received the award on behalf of Shri KS Vara Prasad.
Dr S Pannerselvam, Sci G, Project Director, HSTDV made presentation on Hypersonic Technology Demonstration. Dr S Vatsal, Sci F, made presentation on Computer Aided Tomography Facility at DRDL

GTRE, Bangalore
Shri T N Suresh, Sci E, delivered the Science Day Oration.

HEMRL, Pune
Dr Sivaraman, Director, National Chemical Laboratory, Pune was the Chief Guest on this occasion. Dr GC Gandhi, Sci D, delivered the Science Day Oration on Development of Pyrotechnic Gas Generator.

INMAS, Delhi
Dr Ravi Kashyap, Sci F, delivered the Science Day Oration on Novel Approaches to Assess Infection by Using Nuclear Medicine Techniques.

IRDE, Dehradun
Shri Lazar Mathew, Director St Francis Hospital, Ajmer delivered a futuristic and thought provoking talk on Micromachining Technology for Medical Applications. Shri Prabhat Sharma delivered the Science Day Oration on Laser Radar System.

ITR, Chandipur
Shri Arun Kumar Ray, Sci C, presented a research paper entitled, Pulsing of RF Input to the Mopa Chain Type of Transmitters used in Radar System.

LRDE, Bangalore
Dr DC Pande, Sci F, delivered the Science Day Oration on Nuclear Electromagnetic Pulse –A Threat to Electronics and its Mitigation Techniques.

MTRDC, Bangalore
Dr RP Shenoy, FNAE, Distinguished Scientist & Director (Retd), LRDE, delivered a lecture on Science and Technology Management. Dr S K Datta, Sci E, MTRDC, delivered the Science Day Oration on Fascinating Applications of Carbon Nano-Tubes.

NPOL, Kochi
Dr SK Srivastava, Sci F, delivered the Science Day Oration on Perspectives in Turbulence. Dr K P Vijayakumar, Head, Department of Physics, Cochin University of Science and Technology delivered an invited lecture on Thin Films.

NSTL, Visakhapatnam
An exhibition of various systems pertaining to Underwater Weapons, Mines and other ongoing projects was displayed. A booklet named "Paada Mudra" (Foot Prints) depicting the history of NSTL since its inception to hitherto, was released by Rear Adm S Mohapatra, VSM, IN, Director.

The lectures delivered were: Water Resources Development and Cloud Seeding by Prof Shivaji Rao, (Retd) Principal of Andhra University Engineering College; Man and Medicine by Dr KVGK Tilak, MD, Retired Principal of Andhra Medical College; and Advanced Propulsors for High Speed Marine Vehicles by Shri Ch Suryanarayana, Sci, E, NSTL.

PXE, Balasore
Seventy-five school students accompanied by 10 teachers were taken on a guided tour of PXE. They also participated in a science quiz competition. Prof Trilochan Pradhan, ex-Director, Institute of Physics, Bhubaneswar delivered a lecture entitled, Building Blocks of Matter. Shri Sankarshan Padhi, Sci B, delivered the Science Day Oration on Noise Pollution.

RCI, Hyderabad
Smt B Jaya, Sci F, delivered the Oration on Communication for Next Generation C 4I Systems. Dr VK Saraswat, Director, RCI stressed on scientific outlook among scientists and staff for development of Defence Science.

VRDE, Ahmednagar
The programme mainly comprised lectures by scientists; debate and quiz competitions on science topics by school children; and a science exhibition. A Sky Watch Event was organised by Bhaskaryacharya Astronomy Club.