Dr K. Satya Prasad is president of the Jana Vignana Vedika (JVV), a non-profit, cadre-based people’s science organisation headquartered in Hyderabad. A mycology and plant pathology expert, he is also professor of botany at Osmania University with over two decades of teaching experience. JVV, which has centres in all 23 districts of Andhra Pradesh, is affiliated to the All India People’s Science Network. It handles a diverse portfolio of socio-scientific issues with special emphasis on education, health and science communication.

Newspeg. JVV celebrated its silver jubilee with a two-day plenum-cum-seminar in Hyderabad on February 16-17. An estimated 500 of the voluntary organisation’s 42,000 members attended the celebratory conference apart from participating in statewide National Science Day (February 28) celebrations.

Direct talk. “We want scientific rationalism to pervade every aspect of life. Even in the 21st century, superstitious beliefs and practices are rampant in remote districts of Andhra Pradesh and people are ostracised, beaten up and killed for allegedly practicing black magic. Therefore education, health and science communication are the three focus domains of JVV which is a volunteer organisation dependent on contributions from the public and occasional project-based funding from government,’’ says Satya Prasad, an alumnus of Osmania University and the Agriculture Research Institute, Rothamsted (UK) who was appointed president of JVV in 2012.

A progressive organisation, JVV is involved in many dimensions of public socio-scientific issues — conducting training camps for teachers, students and science volunteers; publishing booklets and pamphlets to advance a scientific temper, and waging relentless but peaceful struggle against all types of obscurantism. “In the present education system students are not interested in learning science because all the emphasis is on theory, with little importance given to practical experiments. I believe that science has to reach every nook and corner of the country,” says Satya Prasad.

Future plans. In its silver jubilee year, JVV has focused on promoting sustainable agriculture in Andhra Pradesh. A farmer’s protection forum launched in Guntur district is disseminating information about the importance of farmers generating their own seeds and reducing dependence on multinational companies. Introduced in 69 villages, the experiment has been enthusiastically welcomed by farmers because it has lowered input costs and popularised organic farming practices. The promotion of energy-saving practices, generic and alternative medicines to rural citizens, are among other initiatives on JVV’s agenda this year. “Eradicating obscurantist, superstitious and paranormal practices through science learning is our prime objective,” he says.

Wind beneath your wings!

Aruna Ravikumar (Hyderabad)