Researchers exhorted to be socially responsible

Mangalore, August 23: Researchers should not live in ivory towers, instead should evince social responsibility, said Prof. R.K. Sridhar, of Mangalore University. He was inaugurating the Biotechnology Research (Ph.D.) Centre of St Aloysius College, here on Monday.

Research, ultimately should have social bearings. Its benefits should reach common man/woman, Prof. Sridhar opined. Speaking on how to go about research, the chief guest exhorted young scholars to be original and creative. While asking them to be open to new ideas from others, he warned them to shun plagiarism.

In his presidential remarks Fr Joseph Rodrigues, Rector of the St Aloysius College Institutions expressed his happiness over the giant strides made by St Aloysius College in higher educations, especially research. He called upon researchers and people engaged in higher education to be actively involved in the life of common people. Subalterns should be our concern in research, he said.

Detailing the path of Research at St Aloysius College, Dr Shashikiran, Coordinator of Research at St Aloysius College, explained what was planted as a small sapling in 1980 under the guidance of Rev Dr Leo D'Souza, has now grown to be a full-fledged research centre, with three guides. Dr Smitha Hegde, Dr Asha Abraham, and Dr Monica Sadananda, the three guides at this research centre as well as in various other universities, have published a number of research articles in national and international journals, secured crores of rupees worth of research projects from various agencies, and are actively involved in guiding research guides.

In the current academic year, eleven scholars have registered to undertake research under their guidance, were felicitated and wished well. Fr Swebert D'Silva SJ, principal was present at the program.