Shri Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, while launching the DBT/Wellcome Trust India Fellowships, here today, stated that the new partnership would boost the biomedical research in India. He further added that the £80 million scheme - jointly funded by the Government of India's Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and the Wellcome Trust over 5 years - aims to strengthen the research base of Indian biomedical science by providing fellowship programmes to support researchers from newly-qualified senior researchers. The launch was also attended by Dr. M. K. Bhan, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, and Dr Mark Walport, Director of the Wellcome Trust.

The Minister stressed that the Biomedical Research Career Programme will fund cutting-edge biomedical research in India, and complement recent Wellcome Trust investment to support public health research in the country. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Bhan said that India has embarked on a range of new institution building programmes. "We are committed to ensuring that these and already developed places are nurtured to become centres of quality research and learning comparable to the best. By attracting the best scientists back to work in these locations, we hope to make research a real contributor to health and well- being of the people."

During the ceremony, Dr. Walport said that: "India has a wealth of academic talent and it is important that we can support the best researchers throughout their careers". Dr. Walport further added that "we are delighted to have this opportunity to work with the Indian Government. This initiative has the potential to have a significant impact on the health and prosperity of India and South Asia. We aim to nurture and develop a world-class cohort of biomedical researchers."

Source: Press Information Bureau
Date: 10 September, 2008