"Why India Needs More Research Institutes In Order To Compete With Developed Nations?" Explains Dr. BS Tomar, Chairman And Chancellor Of NIMS University

Dr Balvir S. Tomar is a renowned Researcher, academician and businessmen, the Chairman and Chancellor of NIMS University in Jaipur, Rajasthan. With a profound commitment to education, research, and innovation, Dr Tomar has been instrumental in promoting the growth and development of NIMS University into a leading institution in India. His extraordinary leadership and advocacy for research have positioned him as a prominent figure in shaping India's education landscape.

In his initial days, while contributing as an Assistant professor at SMS Hospital in Jaipur, Rajasthan, Dr B S Tomar started his research on putting an end to a deadly paediatric disease known as Indian Childhood Cirrhosis with a mortality rate of 100%. In 1983, he found the D- Penicillamine effective in wiping out the condition completely. This discovery led Dr Tomar's work to be published in the 'Indian Journal of Paediatrics and 'Advanced in Paediatrics (USA).

Fond of researching and discovering new advances in medical as well as technology, it is hardly a wonder why Dr Balvir S. Tomar sees the lack of research institutes in India as a challenge and seeks every opportunity to address the same. 

In an appeal towards recognizing India as a scientific power, Dr Balvir S. Tomar has highlighted the pressing need for India to establish more research institutes in order to compete with developed nations in the field of research and development. Recognizing the immense potential of India's scientific and technological talent potential, Dr Tomar emphasized the urgency of bridging the gap between India and other leading nations in research and innovation.

With its rich scientific heritage, India must catch up to other emerging countries such as China, Brazil, and Russia in research and development. Despite being home to a vast number of talented researchers and engineers, India's research output and investment in R&D fall short of global standards. According to the World Bank, India currently spends a mere 0.7% of its GDP on research and development, compared to 2.2% to 4.2% in advanced nations like the United States, China, and South Korea.

India's position on the Global Innovation Index also reflects the need for greater emphasis on research and development. Although the nation has progressed from 81st in 2015 to 40th in 2021, it still faces significant challenges in catching up to leading innovators. Furthermore, India's average number of citations per publication in 2019 stood at 7.9, falling short of China's 12.5 and the global average of 12.3, as per the Scopus database.

Dr Tomar stressed the importance of ramping up research investments to propel India's growth and global competitiveness. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has already recognized the need for research universities and has proposed designating around 100 institutions as research universities, while others focus primarily on providing quality education. By adopting a reliable classification framework and key research metrics, India can distinguish its research universities transparently and foster a culture of high-quality research and innovation.

To achieve greatness in research and development, India must also prioritize interdisciplinary research universities. By expanding the size of existing institutions, adding new subjects, and encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration, Indian universities can equip themselves to address the complex challenges of the modern world effectively.

While acknowledging India's existing advantages, such as widespread English proficiency and a talented diaspora, Dr Tomar called for greater involvement of Indian academics abroad, who can contribute their knowledge and expertise in creating research universities. Collaboration with the Indian diaspora and international research institutions can significantly enhance India's research capabilities.

Dr Tomar emphasized the critical role of increased funding in nurturing research universities and promoting research across various fields. The allocation of Rs 2,000 crore for the National Research Foundation (NRF) under the Union Budget 2023–2034 is a step in the right direction. However, more significant investment is required to reach the Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy's target of allocating 2% of GDP to research and development by 2022.

Dr Balvir S. Tomar's proactive stance on the establishment of research institutes underscores the need for India to invest heavily in research and development to compete with developed nations. By prioritizing research universities, increasing funding, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, India can unleash its vast potential and secure its position as a global intellectual and scientific powerhouse. 

Especially noticing the wildfire spread of technologies, such as tech giants like Google announcing AI for diagnosing Diabetic Retinopathy, opened his eyes and kick-started him to develop labs that offer advanced machinery knowledge along with a creative edge. 

Dr Tomar then took a leap towards introducing an advanced R&D lab in the lap of the campus at NIMS University. This lab will offer great potential to students and faculty alike and establish a system that encourages sharing information, improving skills, and advancing technology.

The AI Lab Center of Excellence at NIMS University Jaipur has made NIMS even more proud. It is a state-of-the-art infrastructure that acts as a focal point for multidisciplinary study, research, and discovery. It provides a collaborative setting where academics and industry professionals work together to advance computer vision, deep learning, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.

 NIMS University has joined hands with Siemens Healthineers to inaugurate the first centre of stroke management in India, following the guidelines of NABH and WSO. This initiative, known as the NIMS Heart and Brain Hospital (NHBH), will be dedicated to cardio-logical and brain-related diseases with a robust infrastructure that offers extraordinary radiology suites, MRI equipment, and overall neurology and neurosurgery facilities with 384 slices dual-source CT which is first in Rajasthan. 

Additionally, Dr B S Tomar is moving actively towards international partnerships that will open the gates for the students and provide exposure to world-class research, innovation and development programs. 

The renowned 'Father of Indian Pediatric Gastroenterology', Dr Balvir Singh Tomar, addresses that the diasporas should be involved in international scientific communication because our students are a vast talent pool. He further highlights that Indians around the world currently serve as university presidents and provosts at American universities. They still contribute knowledge about creating research universities, even from a foreign country. 

The Professor also boasts a substantial cadre of highly successful academics and researchers at home and abroad, highlighting that the most gifted academics need a productive academic atmosphere, which calls for careful consideration, effective planning, and sufficient resources.

Lastly, the Chairman of the NIMS University Rajasthan concludes, "There is talent, there is a demand, and we are making some intriguing efforts. To sum up, India has to do a lot of catching up in the area of research and development. We can lead the world in innovation and technology with the correct investments, but we must move rapidly."

At the base of NIMS R&D, it is the goal of Dr Tomar to operate the research university's fundamental concept on well-established guidelines used by the world's top institutions.

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