It may surprise visitors to this exhibition to see the SLV-3 rocket that stands outside the museum.
It is not the conventional image of India.
But it should not be a surprise.
India's success in space technology is the culmination of over 2000 years of scientific achievement.
There has been much to marvel at.
Indian mathematicians introduced concepts of abstract numbers and of zero which enabled them to develop the decimal system long before it was known in Europe.
In modern times, CV Raman 's superb work in the field of experimental physics was rightly recognised by his Nobel prize in 1930. [end p1]
Current achievement is even more striking.
The SLV-3 rocket outside this museum has launched India's own satellites.
Few countries are in that league.
India has an imaginative and highly developed civil nuclear power programme.
Last year I had the pleasure of visiting the Atomic Research Centre near Bombay called after that remarkable man, Homi Bhabha.
In medicine, Dr A S Paintal 's work in sensory physiology has rightly received world recognition.
So has Professor Talwar 's work on immunology.
Professor Dhawan 's and Professor Menon 's contributions in physics are equally well-known.
You are fortunate, Indira GandhiPrime Minister, to have such people among your close advisers. [end p2]
Science is one of the many fields where Britain and India collaborate.
That collaboration is not new.
But the signature of the memorandum of understanding on science and technology which you and I, Prime Minister witnessed in Delhi a year ago has given it added impetus. We are now working together in fields as diverse as aviation, heat energy recycling, immunology and naval architecture.
Scientists and centres of learning in both countries benefit.
But scientific progress does not end in the laboratory.
The great challenge to all societies is to inject the fruits of scientific discovery into the material well-being of their people. [end p3]
Anyone familiar with India can sense the faith your country has that this can be done.
It was typical of the visionary foresight of Jawaharlal Nehru that he recognised it so clearly. Now India has the world's third largest trained manpower resource in science and technology.
What a striking fact that is!
Nothing would show more plainly the key role given to scientific endeavour in Indian economic development.
It has brought dramatic advances in agriculture.
In 1979 the crucial south-west monsoon failed in India. Not long ago this would have meant famine. But no longer.
As a result of the scientific application of knowledge based on agricultural research—of India's green [end p4] revolution—the 520 million people who live in the Indian countryside are far less at risk from the elements than they were in the past.
Good news such as this does not always make the headlines. Perhaps you are familiar with that problem. Prime Minister.
I sometimes think that people work on the principle that the only news is bad news.
That is not the message of scientific endeavour.
We should trumpet the successes.
Prime Minister, over 1200 years ago a Syrian astronomer spoke of India's “subtle discoveries in the science of astronomy, of her rational system of mathematics, and her methods of calculation which no words can praise strongly enough” . [end p5]
This exhibition shows how much there is to praise today. I hope many will come to see it, to admire modern India as we so much admire India's ancient heritage.
I am happy to declare the exhibition open.