PROFILE

Science and Technology are intimately interwoven with human civilization. What is science? It is the consolidation of knowledge of facts and factual interrelationship among factual phenomena compiled by human cognition of the physical and material world around him and of himself and the detail of utilization of such knowledge for the betterment of his society. There is no science which has not been applied. Science is compiled not by a few individuals or a sect of people, called, scientists, but by masses all over the world. Further, science, even though is an art and offers thrill and curiosity, is not basically a hobby of masses for fun and aesthetics. It is ultimately the unending story of the struggle human race has been waging against nature for its existence and survival with the arms of natural laws and tools of technology fabricated on the basis of natural laws and by the modes of harnessing the natural resources. By late eighties of the 20th century, the revolutionary strides that occurred in science have brought many materials and methods for every comfort man could aspire for. During the last 50 years, man has synthesized more number of distinct materials than what the earth naturally possess. The science could understand how the present universe originated and how space and time are inseparable. Science has been able to extend human perception thousands of light years into the universe. Science is able to record events occurring at femtosecond intervals. It is able to solve complexities among physical data at a speed greater than 100 billion arithmetic operations in a second and store information at a density larger than 100 gigabytes per square centimeter. Science made it possible to understand the entire human genome on the basis of which one can understand every biofunctionality of human body and the meaning of life. Science expanded human knowledge to the deepest structure of matter till the levels of quarks. The technology is sufficiently developed to recognize one odd molecule in a company of 1000 trillion other molecules. Science and technology made man to exchange information at light speed over the globe and rendered him lift rockets towards other astronomical worlds. Discoveries in polymer science, pharmaceuticals and electronics have revolutionized the human civilization. Thus, science has offered materials, methods, civilization, history, philosophy of optimism and cosmic dignity to human race. It is a treasure amassed by the masses and hence should naturally serve the masses.

With all the levels of achievements scaled in science and technology, it is possible to not only wipe out hunger, disease, illiteracy, unemployment and disharmony but also provide every person in the world a standard of life now measured with that of an executive drawing a salary of Rs. 5 lakh per month provided every healthy person in the world in the age group of 30-50 years, works just 4 hours a day. Further, under these ideal conditions, which are not impossible to usher in, provided the people are determined and organized, the natural resources would be 100 times more conserved (or 100 times less consumed) than the present rate.

Jana Vignana Vedika is now 30 year-old. It is now fondly called by media and its members and public as JVV. Many top scientists, beaurocrats, academicians, professionals, employees of public and private institutions, women, students, agricultural workers and artisans including a few people’s representatives with proven track of social service form the membership of JVV. During the past 30 years, its membership grew from a few hundreds to nearly 50000. It has become almost a household name for its non-profiteering, democratic and cadre-based facets. Its units are functioning actively in all the 31 districts in Telangana  and 10 districts of Andhra Pradesh. It is affiliated to the All India People’s Science Network (AIPSN) and is also a network partner of the NCSTC (National Council for Science & Technology Communication, DST, Govt. of India) Network. It relies on the volunteerism of its members, generous contributions from people and occasional public funding through certain projects. It does not accept any conditional financial support.

JVV has a 4-tier structure, i.e., village/local unit, mandal unit, district unit and state unit. Every unit holds conferences once every two years and elects the respective committees. The State Conference is held after the lower units are done in their hierarchical order. Interspacing the Conferences, each Committee, holds, every year, a Plenum to take stock of the activities of the passing year and to plan for the issues of the ensuing year.

Education, Health and Science Communication are the major three operational domains of Jana Vignana Vedika whereas it is equally active in other domains such as Integrated Development of Unit District and Overall Development of the StateSamatha (a JVV wing towards women empowerment and women’s rights), Culture, etc. In fact, it has constituted sub-committees for each of these areas of activities. It organizes a variety of programmes to create awareness and to draw the public attention on various socio-scientific issues. It also conducts training camps for teachers, students and science volunteers on the trends of science and technology and the method of science. JVV celebrates and observes major scientific milestones and anniversaries of national and international significance. It publishes and circulates booklets and pamphlets. It wages relentless but peaceful struggles against all kinds of superstitions and obscurantism. It elicits public opinion against the rhetoric of paranormal, quackery, unhealthy and spurious medical practices and other unfounded claims of prevention and cure. It is educating the people about environmental upkeep, ecological balance and sustainable agricultural and industrial development while uncovering the real culprits behind the abuse of the environment.

The Government of India has bestowed on JVV the highest (of its kind) National Award for Outstanding Efforts in Science & Technology Communication for the year, 2005 (the International Year of Physics), on 28th February, 2006 and JVV was congratulated by the President of India (Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam) at Rashtrapathi Bhavan on its yeomen service during the past many years. It has become synonymous with science propagation and inculcation of scientific temper in the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.