'National Safari' to promote Science

New Delhi, Sep 22 (UNI) As part of a new initiative to promote Science and Technology in in the country, the Union Ministry for Science and Technology today unveiled a film which seeks to celebrate the spirit of innovation and discovery that inhabits the cities and towns of India.

'National Safari', a film to be aired on the National Geographic Channel from September 26, will showcase the spirit of innovation and discovery in the fields of biotechnology, drugs, medicines, stem cells, agriculture, genetic engineering, education, bioprocessing and many others.

''Science is a reality we perceive on a daily basis. Yet the overrising impression that prevails among the masses is that Science is something esoteric; something that can be understood only by the scientists and the technocrats. 'National Safari' is our endeavour to bring Science to the masses by presenting things we don't know in a simplified manner,''Union Minister for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal said after unveiling the venture at a press conference here today.

The film is a part of the innovative year-long campaign announced by the Ministry and the National Geographic Channel earlier this year to promote Science and Technology.

The 48-minute film, produced by All time Productions in close association with the National Geographic Channel, is an eclectic mix of scientific achievements across India and presents various innovations made by well known Indian scientists and some unknown inventors in an interesting travelogue format.

''Through this programme, we want to create more awareness among people in the country, especially children, about our achievements in this field and to encourage the spirit of scientific enquiry. The effort is to get across to the common people, specially the children, the message that the process of learning Science can be fun. Hopefully, the film will lead to children taking to Science just like a fish takes to water,''Mr Sibal said.

''To enable the film to reach across far and wide, it will be telecast both in English as well as in Hindi initially and later dubbed in other Indian languages so that the idiom of Science reaches the nook and corner of the country in peoples' own language,'' the Minister said.

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