An IIT-M faculty member and alumnus has written a book with suggestions for what the nation’s top research and educational institutions could do to commemorate the country’s 100th anniversary of independence.

T. Pradeep, a professor in the Department of Chemistry, and Krishnan Narayanan, the president of the IIT Madras Alumni Association and itihaasa Research and Digital, are the authors of Empowering India-Ideas for Action by Scientists and Engineers. The Indian Academy of Sciences released the book, which is a component of the IITMAA’s thought leadership initiatives.

For the book, more than 100 scientists—including 40 institute alumni—have contributed. The academy will support science through the donation of the book’s sales earnings.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan recently released the book Mann ki Baat – Inspiring transformational capacity of a nation and its people, which was written by Institute director V. Kamakoti, K.S. Venkatraghavan, Mr. Narayanan, and professor V.R. Muraleedharan of the Humanities and Social Sciences department at the institute.

According to Prof. Kamakoti, the authors used a complex living systems framework and policy advocacy to analyze Maan ki baat and demonstrate how it inspired the nation and created transformational capacity in the nation’s science and technology ecosystem, particularly in the fields of research, innovation, and entrepreneurship. He explained, “As part of our research, we created a substantial language model based on MKB chatbox.

Prof. Pradeep said in his book 30 recommendations spread across seven specific areas were made. “If they are incorporated in our planning and policies, we are sure that India will be at its rightful place in 2047.”