Aggarwal Varun - Leading Science and Technology: India Next?

SAGE was founded in 1965 by Sara Miller McCune to support the dissemination of usable knowledge by publishing innovative and high-quality research and teaching content. Today, we publish over 900 journals, including those of more than 400 learned societies, more than 800 new books per year, and a growing range of library products including archives, data, case studies, reports, and video. SAGE remains majority-owned by our founder, and after Saras lifetime will become owned bya charitable trust that secures our continued independence.

Los Angeles | London | New Delhi | Singapore | Washington DC | Melbourne

Varun Aggarwal offers a compelling, data-driven, and analytical march through Indias science landscape. While we might not get science to the stature of cricket or Bollywood in the Indian imagination, at least we have to try to make it much more discussed. There is no substitute for a laser focus on science to foster social and economic change.

Tarun Khanna

Jorge Paulo Lemann Professor, Harvard Business School and Director, South Asia Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts

India has the potential to solve its own problems using science and technology. In doing so, it has a shot at solving the worlds problems too. This first-of-its-kind book discusses how the nation can achieve this by taking advantage of its unique strengths. Varun weaves data-based insights with stories to demystify the world of research and Indias position in it. He cites several interesting examples from his days at MIT and as an entrepreneur developing research-led products out of India. Science and technology are not some idealistic good to haves; they have increasingly become instruments for progress, and Varuns thoughtful passion shows the way.

Sanjay Sarma

Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Vice President for Open Learning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

This book is a must-read for people who want to learn more about science in India, as it offers a comprehensive account of Indias science and technology ecosystem. Varun examines the national policy on science and innovation, the workings of Indias top research institutions, the role of industry, and the mind-set of Indias research personnel. Meticulously researched and based on a wealth of new data comparing countries across various research metrics, this book marks the start of an important and long-overdue dialogue in India about its position in world science and technology.

Pradeep K. Khosla

Chancellor, University of California, San Diego

Just like you cannot imagine the Silicon Valley without Stanford, this book highlights the need for innovation backed by scientific research! To catapult India to the global stage of innovation, we need world-class research institutions, empowered researchers who tackle challenging original problems, and a vibrant ecosystem for entrepreneurs. This book is for any individual who dreams of an India that creates globally competitive start-ups and pioneers new technologies.

Akshay Kothari

Head, LinkedIn India

It is a pity that Indias scientific output isnt commensurate with the talent present in the country. This book explains why and warns about the opportunity cost of not acting. Varun presents a first lesson in the much-needed mentoring at various levels and for various actors to change the course. He nails it with his discussion around the importance of picking relevant problems, multidisciplinary research, building end-to-end solutions, tight partnership between industry and academia, and nurturing of appropriate ecosystems. A must-read for students, professors, researchers, policymakers, corporate leaders, media, and even parents who continue to exercise great career-related influence on the future protagonists. Simple yet subtle, critiquing yet constructive, Varun tells an engaging narrative that comes straight from his heart while also leading by example at many places.

Sumit Gulwani

Research Manager, Microsoft, USA and Inventor of Flash Fill in MS Excel

Can India become the next scientific superpower? With hard facts and plenty of personal anecdotes, seasoned entrepreneur Varun Aggarwal argues that its time to unleash Indias intellectual potential. Better yet, he shows us what needs to be done. [This book] is a roadmap to Indias future.

Thomas Barlow

Global Research Strategist and Author

India has established a significant export-driven IT industry and has a large and growing number of start-ups. However, it is clear to Varun, and to others, that the foundation of this enterprisethe science and research base of the countryis weak. The scale, quality, and impact of Indias research and research training effort have not kept pace with its global peers. In a rigorous, evidence-based study that is frank and hard-hitting, but also ultimately hopeful, Varun identifies the issues and points to potential solutions. This book should be essential reading for those who care about Indias science and research policy.

Arun Sharma

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Commercialization), Queensland University of Technology

Great research passes through various stagesfrom idea to peer review and publication to application. Different kinds of support are required at each stage and if the ecosystem is healthy, each stage simultaneously feeds on and supports the others. The strength of this book is precisely that it takes such a holistic approach, which is absolutely required to analyze the gaps that exist in India. Further, the book links the research all the way up to start-ups and entrepreneurship. Varun is one of the few people who can authoritatively talk about this journey since he started in the world of ideas and from there has created a very successful global company. Since he has also lived and worked in several countries, he is able to put things in a comparative global perspective. I found his comparisons of India, China, and the United States very revealing. I highly recommend this book.

Shailendra Mehta

President, Director, and Distinguished ProfessorInnovation & Entrepreneurship, MICA, Ahmedabad

Technology is changing how economies are organized and how wars are waged, affecting people and nations across the world. To be a leader internationally, a country must take the lead in science and technology. In this important book, Varun shows why, in comparison to Indias impressive economic achievements, the countrys technological achievements lag far behind. His insights and his thoughtful analysis of what needs to be done require to be widely understood and should be publicly discussed.

Anirudh Krishna

Edgar T. Thompson Professor of Public Policy and Political Science, Duke University, North Carolina

Copyright Varun Aggarwal, 2018

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

First published in 2018 by