1. Immediately after the great earth quake tragedy in Gujarat , the Hindu Business Line reported that the 440MW Kakrapara Atomic Power Station , a few hundred kms from Bhuj , the epicentre of the massive earthquakes , continued functioning normally ; so also all the 14 stations ( total capacity 3000MW ) , they having in-built safety especially to withstand severe earthquakes . This along with what were demonstrated earlier at Pokran adequately go to show the high level indigenous expertise of the nation in nuclear and allied technology achieved over the past three/four decades These achievements were possible due to the great farsighted strategy, pioneered by its founder leader Dr Homi Bhabha and the able team around him. 

2. In his famous lecture on " Science and the Problem of Development" delivered on January 7, 1966 , before the International Council of Scientific Unions , Bhabha elaborated his concept of " Growing Science and said : 

" An important question which we must consider is whether it is possible to transform the economy of a country to one based on modern technology developed elsewhere without at the same time establishing modern science in the country as a live and vital force. If the answer to this question is negative , and I believe our experience will show that it is so, then the problem of establishing science as a live and vital force in society is an inseparable part of part of the problem of transforming an industrially underdeveloped to a developed society ". 

Bhabha had no difficulty in accepting the need for technology import. He said: 

" When a strong scientific and technological base has already been laid as was done at the Trombay establishment - Ed.: add ) , foreign collaboration can certainly lead to a quicker take-off ". 

But then he warned : 

" The relative roles of indigenous science and technology and foreign collaboration can be highlighted through an analogy. Indigenous science and technology plays the part of an engine in an aircraft, while foreign collaboration can play the part of a booster. A booster in the form of foreign collaboration can give an assisted take-off, but it will be incapable of independent flight unless it is powered by engines of its own. If Indian industry is to take-off and be capable of independent flight, it must be powered by science and technology based in this country ". 

Elaborating the theme to a major sector such as steel, he said : 

"The steel industry has existed in India since the First World War , and one of the two steel plants was among the largest in the British Commonwealth in the early twenties.the construction and operation of a number of steel plants ( as happened during the subsequent period - Ed: add) has not automatically generated the ability to design and build new plants. Unless powerful scientific and engineering groups are established during the construction and operation of existing steel plants as a matter of deliberate policy, the dependence on foreign technical assistance will continue and the steel industry will not reach a stage of technical self reliance. A similar situation exists in almost every other industry". 

3. The strategy worked out by Bhabha for nuclear technology was based on his own " growing science " approach . It had the following major elements : 

a. Evaluation of the technology gap in the field between India and advanced countries in all aspects , including the nature of IPRs related to it , 

b. Importation of appropriate technology wherever feasible and thereby utilizing the opportunity to get a quick " assisted take-off" , 

c. Systematic development of the appropriate indigenous S&T infrastructure to assimilate the " know-how and know-why " of designs , equipments and systems , and 

d. Providing adequate legal/administrative policy support for implementing the indigenous development programme , including support measures to overcome issues connected IPR's. 

4. As part of such an S&T strategy, the DAE undertook the following tasks.