Shri K.R. Narayanan, Vice president of India, presented the Marconi International Fellowship Award to Dr. David Forney Jr. of Motorola today. The award carries a cash prize of $1,00,000 and has been awarded to Dr. Forney for his work in communication theory. The $15,000 Marconi Young Scientist Award was presented to Shri Girish S. Deodhar of the Centre of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for his outstanding work in control systems for light combat aircraft.

The Archafla Young Scientist Award, instituted this year, was given to Shri. A.V.S.S Prasad for his outstanding contribution to the design of very large-scale integration devices and parallel computing design. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Narayanan said that while we embark upon the applications of communication and information technology, we should not lose sight of knowledge and wisdom in reporting to make valuable information to society and humanity. He lamented that media is overcrowded with violence, terror, smut, falsehoods, half-truths, misinformation, and propaganda.

“Most of the apparatus of communication does not seem to know what message to convey to humanity”, he said. Pointing out that the installed base of working telephones in India is just 10 to 12 million, and telephone density is less than one for every 100 people, as opposed to the world average of about 10 for every 100 people. Shri Narayan said that community facilities for communication should receive the highest priority. He added that new information technology could help spread education and culture, support health services warning people about impending natural disasters, and efficiently organize relief and assistance.

Source: Press Release
PIB
PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
Date: January 20, 1997