Former Chief Economic Advisor K.V. Subramanian has called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to draw inspiration from China's public recognition of scientists and diversify how India honors its national greats. Subramanian urged a departure from the prevalent practice of repeatedly naming cities, airports, and institutions after a select few political leaders.
In a recent post, Subramanian highlighted China's move to feature scientists on giant city billboards as a model. He advocated for a systematic exercise to identify and celebrate a broad spectrum of Indians who have significantly contributed to the nation's civilization and progress.
Beyond Political Nomenclature
Subramanian argued that India possesses an extraordinary wealth of individuals worthy of remembrance across various fields. He proposed naming public spaces after luminaries from science, scholarship, philosophy, and entrepreneurship.
Visionary Scientists and Scholars
His extensive list of suggested honorees includes pivotal figures in Indian science and research:
- Srinivasa Ramanujan
- C.V. Raman
- Jagadish Chandra Bose
- Satyendra Nath Bose
- Homi J. Bhabha
- Vikram Sarabhai
- A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
- M.S. Swaminathan
- Har Gobind Khorana
- Salim Ali
- Kalpana Chawla
- Sunita Williams
- Satish Dhawan
- Raja Ramanna
- M. Visvesvaraya
Ancient Sages and Intellectuals
Subramanian also suggested commemorating India's rich intellectual heritage by recognizing historical figures such as:
- Adi Shankaracharya
- Panini
- Patanjali
- Chanakya
- Aryabhata
- Brahmagupta
- Bhaskaracharya
- Varahamihira
- Kabir
- Guru Nanak
- Mirabai
- Tulsidas
- Sant Tukaram
- Sant Jnaneshwar
- Thiruvalluvar
- Abhinavagupta
Pioneering Entrepreneurs and Wealth Creators
Acknowledging the transformative impact of business leaders, the former CEA included prominent entrepreneurs:
- Jamsetji Tata
- J.R.D. Tata
- G.D. Birla
- Dhirubhai Ambani
- Narayana Murthy
- Azim Premji
- Shiv Nadar
- Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw
- Karsanbhai Patel
- Verghese Kurien
- Ratan Tata
- Sunil Bharti Mittal
- Dilip Shanghvi
- Uday Kotak
- Anand Mahindra
A Nation's True Reflection
Subramanian emphasized that these individuals, through their ideas, discoveries, institutions, and enterprises, have profoundly transformed the lives of millions. He asserted that a nation should honor a diverse range of contributions, including scientific achievement, scholarship, enterprise, innovation, courage, and civilizational impact.
His proposal aligns with author Ravi Karkara's observation that celebrating scientists and innovation is crucial for a strong economy, citing China's large-scale recognition efforts as a global example.
The former CEA concluded by stating, "Perhaps it is time our public spaces reflected the extraordinary breadth of contributions to India - not the repeated dominance of a handful of political names."