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ndia has a unique cultural, ethnic and sectors such as defense and anti-terrorism. until 2006. In 2007, the Nano Mission, a five-
demographic diversity, as well as a large Given a supportive administrative thrust year programme with over US$250million
variety of natural resources and societal and political will, nanotechnology can play a of government funding, was formed with the
demands. Perennial abundance of sunlight leading role in building a knowledge-based mandate to promote basic research, develop
across the country offers ample scope for economy by leveraging distinct advantages human resources and research infrastructure,
clean-energy generation. At the same time that India has in human resources and in catalyse international collaboration and
rampant infant mortality and malnutrition manufacturing potential. nurture nano-enabled technologies2. Since
indicate the necessity for clean water and then, nanotechnology has evolved as a
rapid, low-cost diagnostic machinery The nanotechnology landscape multi-agency effort with the Department of
for over 200 million people. The innate The need to promote nanotechnology in Information Technology, Defense Research
interdisciplinary nature of nanotechnology India was realized early in the millennium, and Development Organization, Council
fits seamlessly with Indias needs, but that is when the NanoScience and Technology of Scientific and Industrial Research, and
not all. The countrys rapid economic growth Initiative (NSTI) under the Department of Department of Biotechnology emerging as
demands a new kind of industrialization Science and Technology was launched with the main funding bodies. By February2014,
that requires the appropriate urban and a core funding of Rs. 600million (equivalent the Nano Mission alone had funded nearly
rural infrastructure1 (Fig.1a). It also needs to US$15 million). The NSTI remained the 350 individual research projects (Fig.1b),
technological self-reliance in strategic main source of funding for nano research and established 12 Units of Nanoscience,
a c
2007: Centers for Nanotechnology
1.23 billion 2009: Units of Nanoscience
(Rank 2) US$4,800 billion 2011: Thematic Units of Excellence
(Rank 3)
US$1,800 billion
136 per million (Rank 10) US$300 million
(Rank 49) (20012012)
15
Individual nano-research
10
projects
0
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Year
Materials science: synthesis, growth, computational Applied materials research: metrology, sensing, agriculture
Nanomaterials for energy, environment and health Fundamental phenomena and processes in nanoscience
Nanodevices and nanomanufacturing
Figure 1 | Nanotechnology in numbers. a, A perspective of human resources and investment (accompanied by global rankings) in nano research in India1. GDP, gross
domestic product; PPP, purchasing power parity. b, The scientific emphasis of nano-research projects sanctioned by the Nano Mission to individuals in research
institutions or universities2. c, The geographical distribution of nano-research-related infrastructure development in India2. The year indicates the time of sanction of
the unit or centre. Panel c, Daniel Kaesler/Alamy.
Patents
4,000
200
investment in the US (US$1.8billion in
2,000 2013 alone)4, Japan (US$2.8billion from
20062010)5, France (US$3billion during
0 0 20092014)6 and China, which outspent the
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 US with a net funding of US$2.25 billion
Year (corrected for purchasing power parity) in
b
nanotechnology in 20117.
Italy
1 Stagnant research quality. Despite the
England
3 increase in funding from 2007 (the NSTI
Global rank
11
12
13
05
06
07
08
09
20
20
20
20 publications (Fig.3a). Only 16of the nano-
20
20
20
20
20
a c
USA
China
Others India (0.2%)
Germany The Netherlands
Japan
UK
Singapore
China
South Korea France
Japan South Korea
Spain Germany
... Taiwan
India (Rank 16)
0 10 15 20 25 30 35
h-index (2012)
b
Year Top 1% cited papers (Rank) Top 10% cited papers (Rank)
2005 6 (14) 41 (15)
Figure 3 | Indian nanoscience and nanotechnology in scientific literature. a, h-index of nanoscience-related publications1. b, Fraction of highly cited papers on
nanoscience and technology from India8. c, Patent share at the United States Patents and Trademark Office1.
at the Indian Institute of Technology- The Centers for Quantum Computation negligible, and the time is now ripe to build
Madras (IIT-Madras) have used a silver- and Communication Technology, instituted coherence in research endeavours between
based aluminachitosan nanocomposite by the Australian Research Council, are the best research institutions. Thematic
for arsenic decontamination of water11 good examples of sustained funding models Units involving multiple institutions
(Fig.4). In another instance, highly stable for directed nano research. The Wyss and universities will not only allow an
silver-nanoparticle-based antimicrobial Institute at Harvard University represents expanded resource of appropriate expertise
finish (from IIT-Delhi and International a creative funding model that has yielded and research specificity, but also foster a
Advanced Research Center in Hyderabad) successful examples of new biological nationwide collaborative culture.
and water-based self-cleaning nanofinish nanotechnologies over a comparatively short
(from IIT-Delhi) technologies have already timescale14. The recently instituted Thematic Administrative support. The academic
been passed on to local textile industries. Units of Excellence in India are interesting R&D sector needs to actively minimize
In light of this potential, the reluctance of steps in this direction, but would need more administrative red tape and bureaucracy to
the industry to increase their investment in focused mandates to achieve perceptible enable the efficient practice of nanoscience
nanotech R&D is a matter of concern12. impact. Such units would benefit from more and technology in India15. There are two
specific objectives of strong global relevance, main issues in this context: in India, project
Strategies to enable the next inflection and meticulous monitoring of progress. sanction times are unacceptably long,
Nanoscience and technology could ranging anywhere between 6 to 12months,
potentially become a powerful medium Nationwide coherence and collaboration. sometimes longer. In the context of intense
for access, equity and inclusion for the It is imperative to nurture a culture of global competition slow sanction times
heterogeneous population of India. collaboration in the nanoscience and often makes the proposed research itself
This could be achieved through a technology community in India. Even the irrelevant, or at best, incremental when
multi-pronged approach. Thematic Units that currently consist of the projects are finally sanctioned. Second,
multiple investigators are, by and large, the financial structure of the contractual
Funding models. Although funding for collections of independent activities workforce, such as postdoctoral researchers
nanotechnology needs to be increased to and still need to progress into regimes and skilled facility managers/technologists,
match global standards, it is equally critical that are truly synergetic. This might could greatly benefit from a complete
to implement more creative funding models be enabled in two ways: first, we must overhaul. We must acknowledge also, that
that could make the same funds go further 13. promote research initiatives around highly it is absolutely critical to create a thriving
The three (occasionally five) year funding equipped centralized facility clusters that postdoctoral culture16. Excellent postdocs
models have been helpful in developing embody a wholesome interdisciplinary would also form potentially high-quality
local infrastructure, but in addition to research ecosystem. In addition to direct faculty candidates for the expanding number
funding largely individualistic efforts, it is governmental support to run these facilities, of research institutions in India. Similarly,
now essential to identify priority/strategic resources also need to be allocated to the development of new infrastructure
areas in nanoscience and technology, and individual research projects to ensure throughout the country also demands
allocate long-term sustained funding to well planned and productive usage of the dedicated human resources to run and
develop a coherent research programme, infrastructure, equipment or computation maintain these facilities efficiently and
with few but well-defined deliverables of time. Second, inter-institutional continuously to maximize their usage
both national and international relevance. collaborative activities are almost and productivity. The design of attractive
a b
Figure 4 | Promising example of commercialized nanotechnology. a, A silver nanocomposite, Ag-BM, used for metal decontamination of water, formed from
silver nanoparticles (yellow spheres) embedded in a matrix of alumina (brown rods) templated on chitosan fibrils (ochre filaments). b, A resulting product
for arsenic and metal decontamination of water named AMRIT, undergoing installation in the arsenic- and iron-affected regions of the Murshidabad District,
West Bengal (inset), and currently serving 30,000 people. The technology has resulted in the incubation of the Indian Institute of Technology Chennai-based
company InnoNano Research. Panel a adapted with permission from ref.11, 2013 NAS. Inset, Daniel Kaesler/Alamy.
and prestigious packages to draw highly technology workforce spanning every scenario in India dons a completely different
skilled and motivated personnel both level, both of Indian and non-Indian origin relevance. With growing public awareness,
from within and outside India could prove could prove game-changing. This could be India could exploit nanotechnology as a
truly transformative to nano research in achieved by creating dedicated nanoscience versatile hub to educate and create new
India. An interesting example of such a and technology fellowships for overseas infrastructure. This will not only inject
programme are the DBT (Department of visitors, in the spirit of the recently instituted highly skilled human resources needed
BioTechnology)Wellcome Trust India Jawaharlal Nehru Science Fellowships by the for the knowledge-based economy of the
Alliance Early Career Fellowships that have Department of Science and Technology. future, but will also prepare India for the
managed to attract and retain excellent global nanotech revolution if and when
postdoctoral researchers in India. These are, Industry engagement. New initiatives it occurs.
however, a very small number. to expand the domain of nanotechnology
in industry beyond bulk synthesis of Arindam Ghosh is in the Department of Physics,
Nanomanufacture and prototyping. nanomaterials would be important. Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012,
Although significant emphasis on Owing to the shortage of both prototyping India. Yamuna Krishnan is at the National Centre
the synthesis and characterization of machinery as well as a knowledgeable for Biological Sciences, TIFR, GKVK, Bellary Road,
nanomaterials has been evident over the workforce there is very little understanding Bangalore 560065, India.
past decade (Fig.1b), translating research of prior art and the nature of nanotech e-mail: arindam@physics.iisc.ernet.in;
to nanodevices and commercializable development. The problem is compounded yamuna@ncbs.res.in
prototypes needs immediate attention. by weak intellectual property safeguarding
Only one out of ten Thematic Units is policies. Further, regulatory structures for References
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2. http://nanomission.gov.in/
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Bangalore and Mumbai, are now developing central guideline on these issues, which 4. http://www.nano.gov
nanodevice-based sensing and monitoring is transparent and fair, is required for 5. http://nis.apctt.org
6. http://www.fondation-nanosciences.fr
methods for health, energy and environment new nano-based industrialization to 7. http://www.cientifica.com/
applications, but the number of such centres occur17. Entrepreneurial activities need 8. Bhattacharya, S. etal. CSIR-NISTADS Policy Brief: Nanotechnology
is far below critical. Expanding the existing explicit support, both as part of the Research and Innovation in India: Drawing Insights from
Bibliometric and Innovation Indicators (11 July 2012); available via
nanofabrication centres and creating basic curriculum for students, as well as http://go.nature.com/QUpbxt
newer ones, will allow prototyping at the in dedicated funding opportunities for 9. Avadhani, R. Kakodkar Committee fixes target of 10,000Ph.D.
laboratory level, which, in turn, will facilitate academiaindustry links2. scholars a year. The Hindu (16 March 2013).
10. Krishna, V.V. Paralysis in science policies. The Hindu
indigenous manufacturing capabilities to (7 February 2014).
be developed. The years ahead 11. Sankar, M. U. etal. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA
India needs to complement its service-based 110, 84598464 (2013).
Global networking. Greater emphasis on economy with indigenous manufacturing 12. Purushotham, H. Tech Monitor 2333 (OctoberDecember, 2012).
13. Desiraju, G.R. Nature 484, 159160 (2012).
international networking is another core capability. Nanotechnology offers an 14. http://wyss.harvard.edu/
element to develop and sustain a healthy opportunity for India to assume global 15. Joseph, M. & Robinson, A. Nature 508, 3638 (2014).
perspective of Indian science. Funding of leadership in new-age electronics to 16. Desiraju, G.R. & Ghosh, A. Nature India
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nindia.2010.73 (2010).
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for international travel, as appropriate, Nano Mission has now been approved in India: The Need for Building Capability and Governing the
which would enable participation in and extended until 2017 with a new and Technology (2010): http://www.teriin.org/div/ST_BriefingPap.pdf