NEPAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Introduction

The National Information Technology Center (NITC) was established in the year 2002 in line with IT Policy 2000 under the then Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST). NITC has the main objective to build knowledge based society by supporting knowledge based institutions and industries as well as promote and develop Information Technology (IT) by making it accessible to the general public. Executive director of NITC has the primary responsibility to implement or get implemented the policy and the plan on information science and information technology, monitor and supervise the same and regulate the activities carried out by the private sector.

Nepal has been a late starter in modem science and technology. In pursuance of self- reliance, it developed technological capabilities in some specific areas such as agriculture, civil engineering, architecture, metallurgy, water management, medicine, textile and paper manufacture, dyeing and food technology. Its isolation for over a century, coinciding with the Industrial Revolution in the West and colonial incursion in India, deprived the country from the advances in S&T elsewhere. After the advent of democracy in 1950, the country embarked on the path of modernisation. An initiation in S& T activities took place, along with the inception of a development plan, in 1956. The S& T sector received its due impor tance in development plan in the Sixth Plan (1980-85). Nepal's new constitution, promul gated in 1990, has emphasised the importance of S&T explicitly by including a Directive Principle to promote its advancement. Major S&T organisations, including a science academy, the Ministry for Science and Technology, and several research centres and insti tutions for higher education in science have evolved during last five decades. However, with the low ratio of S&T manpower (0.4 per 1, 000 population) and low R&D expenditure (0.35 per cent of GNP), Nepal faces formidable challenges seeking political commitments with long-term vision and recognition of S&T as the strategic variable for overall national development

DIFFERENT SORTS OF TECHNOLOGY STILL USE IN NEPAL

Tuki-mara: Power outage is a very well known phenomena in Nepal. Techno-entrepreneurs have found an innovative way to address such problems. The device, as shown in the picture, is made up of four LEDs connected to a box with a switch. One needs to put three batteries inside the box to operate the LEDs. Such device "eTuki" and can be bought for less than 150 rupees. I took this picture in a hotel in Jiri (188 northeast of Kathmandu at 2074 mts). The word "Tuki" is a name of lamps made up of glass bottle filled with kerosene and a cotton wick. Most village people use "Tuki" to "electrify" their homes. These days eTukis are replacing the traditional Tukis and hence are called Tuki-mara (mara means killer). Seems technology is slowly finding its place in rural hinterland.

Generation: This picture of a 6 years old girl playing with laptop was taken in CAN InfoTech 2006. Nepal's ICT future lies in the hands of such young people. It is interesting to see a student of class one using a computer without any inhibitions.

Electro-Hat: One evening I was walking downtown Thamel in Kathmandu and ran across a person who has a funny looking device on his head. This device, though is a prototype in design, but was able to attract lots of foreigners and locals. The device consists of air spray, fan, torch-light, alarm etc. The person seen in the picture is a trained electrician and makes several such devices.