"What is more important is Science, not the country of origin of a scientist"...This is what Chemistry 09 Nobel Winner has to say!!

I saw a Times of India article today titled "A little less nationalistic hero worship, please" (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/india/A-little-less-nationalistic-hero-worship-please/articleshow/5129529.cms) by 2009 Chemistry Nobel winner (with two others) Prof Venkatraman Ramakrishnan. It was quite natural for the billion Indians to cheer for him after he got the prize. But what he wants from us is to appreciate science more than nationalistic worship. Well, from my point of view he is correct. In the age of globalisation we after all have to work together to make earth a better place to live in rather than confining within the country barriers. However, I don't think Indians overreacted when he got the prize. Looking at the fact that there are very few Nobel laureates from this country which however has given birth to many great scientists as great as Nobel Laureates, people became naturally overwhelmed with joy. As mentioned in the article, many Indians were offended when Prof Ramakrishnan said "nationality being an accident of birth", and that's why he has come up with this TOI article to apologise as well as to convey a very important message why appreciating science is more important. Some of his lines as quoted from the article are ....

"...The best way to take pleasure in someone’s achievement is to take an interest in their work and feel motivated to learn more about science. I remember reading about Gellman’s work as an undergraduate in Baroda, and, when he won the Nobel prize, rushing upstairs to tell my parents. It did not matter to me whether he was Indian or not. In my case, I am lucky to have had a combination of education, opportunities and a great team of co-workers to have made a contribution to an important problem. I am not personally that important. If I hadn’t existed, this work would still have been done. It is the work that is important, and that should be what excites people....."

It is after all his capability to come out of country barriers and work for the human being as a whole which makes him so special. Think Global..Act Global...:)